On the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than $24 million in state grants will be distributed to organizations across New York under the New York State Abortion Access Program. The funding is intended to support health care providers and ensure that abortion services remain available throughout the state.
The New York State Abortion Access Program provides financial assistance to clinics and health care facilities, helping them offer safe abortion services within local communities. According to Governor Hochul, “Abortion is health care and I will always fight to protect reproductive rights for all New Yorkers and anyone receiving health care in New York. As we face anti-choice extremists in leadership who aim to roll back these hard fought for rights, we will always fight to ensure access to reproductive care is protected here in New York and ensure that this state remains a safe harbor for those in need of abortion care.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald emphasized the importance of this funding for clinics statewide: “This funding is critical for clinics across the state to continue offering abortion care and to expand the range of reproductive health services they provide. As other states strip away protections, New York’s commitment to reproductive freedom has never been more important. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul, we will continue ensuring abortion care is affordable, available, and accessible to anyone who needs it.”
Governor Hochul has previously allocated significant resources toward supporting abortion providers and reproductive health services across New York. This includes hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated through various budgets, including additional funds in the FY26 Enacted Budget aimed at medication abortions as well as capital improvements such as renovations and equipment upgrades.
The state has also enacted laws codifying abortion as protected emergency medical care, requiring hospitals to provide these services when medically necessary. In addition, a standing order now allows pharmacists in New York to dispense three types of hormonal contraception without a prescription: oral pills, vaginal rings, and contraceptive patches.
Earlier this year, legislation was signed by Governor Hochul strengthening legal protections for abortion providers against out-of-state prosecution. The new law permits medical providers to use only their practice address on prescription labels rather than their names or those of their practices. Pharmacies are also required to comply with requests from prescribers who wish their names removed from labels.
Additional legislative actions include measures expanding telehealth access for patients seeking abortion services outside New York without fear of litigation from restrictive states; making hormonal contraception available over-the-counter; ensuring medication abortion access for students at SUNY and CUNY colleges; and six bills passed prior to the Dobbs decision aimed at protecting both patients’ and providers’ rights.
In November 2024, voters approved Proposition One—an amendment establishing constitutional protections for abortion rights in New York. The amendment prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability or sex—including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive autonomy—and took effect January 1, 2025.
New York continues to allow both medication and in-clinic abortions up through 24 weeks of pregnancy. After that point, abortions are permitted if an individual’s health or pregnancy is at risk.
More information about legal rights regarding abortion in New York can be found on the Know Your Rights website.
