Asm. Phara Souffrant Forrest

Explained the bill requires insurers to cover brand-name drugs at generic prices during FDA-declared shortages. She cited recent shortages of ADHD medications and argued that ensuring affordable access to necessary medications during shortages is crucial for public health and maintaining continuity of care.

Bill ensures patients receive medically necessary medications at affordable copay rates during shortages. Shortages are rare and declining (251 in 2011 down to 15 in 2024), so impact on insurance premiums would be nominal. Insurers will absorb costs, not patients.

The bill addresses critical women's health needs during prenatal care and is part of addressing Black maternal health disparities. Evidence-based screenings can prevent maternal loss and death.

Spoke from personal experience as a parent, emphasizing that intervention and support for families is valuable even in court proceedings, and that healing families benefits society.

Spoke as sponsor and advocate for women's health, emphasizing that menopause affects everyone and that awareness campaigns promoting education, family support, and therapeutic options are critical for women across the state.

Highlighted menopause as a significant life transition affecting all women and their families, emphasizing the importance of medical awareness, medication options, and family support to help women manage symptoms and maintain health.

Emphasized menopause as a critical life transition affecting women and families, and stressed the importance of medical awareness and promotion of hormone replacement therapy and other treatments to support women's health statewide.

The bill expands Workers' Compensation eligibility for mental injury claims from a limited list of professions (police, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, emergency dispatchers) to all workers. Supporters argued it addresses gaps in current law by allowing workers in other high-stress professions like nurses, correction officers, and supermarket workers to have claims heard by the Workers' Compensation Board. Opponents raised concerns about undefined standards for 'extraordinary stress,' potential fraud, unknown costs to businesses, and the bill's impact on New York's already-high Workers' Compensation rates and business climate.

The bill expands Workers' Compensation eligibility for mental injury claims based on extraordinary work-related stress from a limited list of professions (police, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, emergency dispatchers) to all workers. Supporters argued the expansion is necessary to cover workers like nurses, correction officers, and supermarket employees who experience extraordinary stress but are currently excluded. Opponents raised concerns about undefined standards for "extraordinary stress," potential fraud, unknown costs to businesses, and the impact on an already-strained Workers' Compensation system and business climate.

Emphasized that pediatricians recommend infants sleep flat on their backs, and that convenience should not substitute for child safety. Praised the sponsor for prioritizing child safety and noted that manufacturers have a responsibility to provide safe products.

Argued that credit scores do not reflect a person's profession, income, or race, yet affect everything in their life. Stated that in her district, requirements of 640 minimum credit plus 40-times rent are used to exclude people from basic housing needs.

Noted that one organ donor can give life to up to seven people and encouraged colleagues and all New Yorkers to register as donors to provide opportunities for other families and communities.