S 8498: Requires menstrual products to be provided in drop-in centers, intake shelters and emergency congregate housing.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8498 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE September 5, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to providing menstrual products at drop-in centers, intake shelters, and emergency congregate housing The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 152-c of the social services law, as amended by 2 chapter 72 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 152-c. Menstrual products. 1. Any provider of temporary shelter that 4 is reimbursed from state or state-administered grants or funds shall be 5 required to provide an adequate number of menstrual products commensu- 6 rate with an individual's needs, including, but not limited to, sanitary 7 napkins, tampons and panty liners, at no cost to individuals requiring 8 such products. For purposes of this section, "temporary shelter" shall 9 include but not be limited to a family shelter, a shelter for adults, a 10 hotel, an emergency apartment, a domestic violence shelter, a runaway 11 and homeless youth shelter, a drop-in center, an intake shelter, emer- 12 gency congregate housing, or a safe house for refugees. 13 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have 14 the following meanings: 15 a. "Drop-in center" shall mean facilities operated by the department 16 or a provider under contract or similar agreement with the department 17 that provide single adults with hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, 18 clothing, medical care, recreational space, employment referrals and/or 19 housing placement services, but not overnight housing. 20 b. "Intake center" shall mean facilities where individuals or families 21 must apply for shelter with the department. 22 c. "Emergency congregate housing" shall mean any location operated by 23 a state agency, city agency, or local municipality or a provider under 24 contract or similar agreement with a state agency, city agency, or local EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07363-01-5 
 S. 8498 2 1 municipality where individuals and families reside for more than nine- 2 ty-six continuous hours and where such individuals and families sleep in 3 a congregate setting with shared facilities, including but not limited 4 to sleeping quarters and bathrooms; provided, however, that emergency 5 congregate housing shall not include any location operated by the 6 department or a provider under contract or similar agreement with the 7 department. 8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.