Sponsored by:
Senator RENEE C. BURGESS
District 28 (Essex and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Reproductive Health Access for Haitian Migrants Act.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Reproductive Health Access for Haitian Migrants Act.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Reproductive Health Access for Haitian Migrants Act.
2. a. The Legislature finds and declares that access to comprehensive reproductive health services, including contraceptives, is essential for the well-being and autonomy of individuals, especially for marginalized populations such as Haitian migrants.
b. The Legislature further finds and declares that barriers to reproductive health services for migrants can lead to adverse health outcomes and exacerbate vulnerabilities.
c. The Legislature further finds and declares that ensuring access to a variety of contraceptive options, including intrauterine devices, birth control pills, and Depo-Provera injections, supports public health and individual well-being.
d. The Legislature, therefore, determines that it is necessary to provide Haitian migrants in New Jersey with necessary and unrestricted access to reproductive contraceptives to foster health equity and reproductive autonomy.
3. a. The Department of Health, in collaboration with community health clinics and migrant support organizations, shall ensure that all Haitian migrants have access to reproductive contraceptives at no cost.
b. Contraceptive options for Haitian migrants shall include, but shall not be limited to, intrauterine devices, birth control pills, and Depo-Provera injections.
c. Services for Haitian migrants shall include comprehensive reproductive health education and counseling to ensure informed decision-making.
4. a. The Department of Health shall develop detailed guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of this act, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and logistics of contraceptive distribution within 120 days following the effective date of this act.
b. The Department of Health
shall prepare and submit to the Governor and, to the Legislature pursuant to
section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), an annual report containing
information on outreach, usage statistics, and any barriers to accessing
reproductive contraceptives encountered by Haitian migrants.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Reproductive Health Access for Haitian Migrants Act.
Under the bill, the Department of Health (department), in collaboration with community health clinics and migrant support organizations, is to ensure that all Haitian migrants have access to reproductive contraceptives at no cost. Contraceptive options for Haitian migrants are to include, but are not to be limited to, intrauterine devices, birth control pills, and Depo-Provera injections. Services for Haitian migrants are to include comprehensive reproductive health education and counseling to ensure informed decision-making.
The department is to develop detailed guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of this bill, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and logistics of contraceptive distribution within 120 days following the bills effective date.
The bill provides that the department is to prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature an annual report containing information on outreach, usage statistics, and any barriers to accessing reproductive contraceptives encountered by Haitian migrants.