Albany, NY — New York is facing a critical moment where the State has an opportunity to fight against the federal cuts and rollbacks across sectors. Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, as Chair of the Task Force on Women’s Issues, is leading the coalition of lawmakers who make up the Task Force on Women’s Issues, urging our state to meet this challenge and to do so by prioritizing gender equity in the Fiscal Year 2027 Enacted Budget.

The Task Force on Women’s Issues is focused on gender equity and gender justice; however, Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas emphasized that the Task Force works on everything through an intersectional lens. Quoting feminist and New Yorker Audre Lorde, that “there is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives,” she shares that it is through this lens that she leads and organizes the Task Force on Women’s Issues.

The Task Force on Women’s Issues is advancing the following for this year's budget:

• $30 million for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. As federal resources for Medicaid and SNAP both erode, we know our most vulnerable New Yorkers are facing a threat to greater insecurity. The WIC program is a critical lifeline as it remains accessible no matter the person’s immigration status, and this is important as our communities are being attacked. This funding would provide resources for expanding the program to reach more families in New York State.
• $200,000 for Women In Need (WIN), a critical New York City-based organization taking a holistic approach to supporting families with children experiencing homelessness. The Assembly Member called their work “vital,” and the Task Force is fighting for this investment in New York’s families.
• $8 million for the Gender Affirming Care Access Fund (A08841/S07924). This bill, the Assembly Member shares, is on the priority list for Planned Parenthood as well. Referencing the 2022 Advocates for Trans Equality survey, the Task Force on Women’s Issues share their data that of the 92,329 survey participants, 28% of respondents did not see a healthcare provider in the year before the survey due to cost, and 24% of respondents did not seek treatment because they were afraid they would be disrespected or mistreated as a result of their gender identity. Protecting the safety, health, and dignity of all New Yorkers, no matter their gender identity is a high priority for this task force, and increasingly important under the current federal administration.
• The Task Force calls for retirement and pension parity between Tier 5 and 6 and Tier 4 members, calling this both a worker justice and gender justice issue. Women, who are more likely to have a separation in service due to caregiving responsibilities, are disproportionately impacted by the Tier 5 and Tier 6 retirement system, where they have to work longer and bring home less after they retire.
• $10.7 million for the New York Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act (A04018/S06983). A bill advanced and advocated for by Assembly Member Forrest targets inequity in maternal health care by implementing evidence-based, implicit bias programs in hospitals and healthcare facilities providing perinatal care.
• $1.92 million for Displaced Homemaker Centers, an ask put forward by Assembly Member Dr. Anna Kelles, which faced cuts to its funding last year. This loss of funds has impeded their ability to provide their critically needed services, which have been offered across the state for nearly 50 years. This is a call to restore and increase their funding, allowing this program “to continue the work addressing the cycle of poverty.”
• A budgetary ask that both Assembly Member Amy Paulin and Assembly Member González-Rojas have championed now and in the past is for the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program (RFEP), with this year's ask for $30 million. The federal government is relentlessly attacking reproductive healthcare and reproductive freedom, making funding this year critically important. This program provides grant funding to providers that offer reproductive health services to all communities.
• Also put forward by Assembly Member Paulin, and a featured priority of Planned Parenthood, is an ask for $25 million to Sustain Grant Funding to Support the Provision of Medication Abortion and Care Later in Pregnancy. Medicaid is ineligible to reimburse providers for these services, making this program and funding critical in allowing both providers and patients access to these resources.
• Assembly Member Dana Levenberg’s ask is featured, requesting $1 million for the Department of Corrections to conduct a Gender Disparity Study (A04503/S06389). The decline of New York’s male prison population is at a rate twice that of the female prison population. We must understand why this disparity exists, and a comprehensive study into this issue is necessary.

“This comprehensive slate of policies reflects the deep investment, lived experience, and leadership of the members of the Task Force on Women’s Issues. I’m proud to help champion these priorities, from protecting gender-affirming care and reproductive healthcare, to advancing truly inclusive and accessible food and housing security, to ensuring real economic empowerment for all women and families. We know that women’s experiences are not monolithic. Our work is grounded in intersectionality and in the understanding that race, immigration status, disability, gender identity, and income all shape how people experience policy. That commitment is reflected in both our mission and our advocacy. We will continue fighting to secure these critical investments in the state budget, because our communities deserve nothing less,” Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, Chair of the Task Force on Women’s Issues.

“I am proud to advocate for a state budget that uplifts our women and families alongside the Task Force on Women’s Issues, which has prioritized critical initiatives, including the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act. In funding this legislation in this year’s budget, we will ensure all birthing people receive respectful, bias‑free care. By centering these priorities and uplifting women, we are building a New York where women and families can thrive,” Assembly Member Phara S. Forrest.

“Fixing Tier 6 is not just about pensions; it’s about fairness, dignity, and recognizing the realities of working families. Seventy percent of NYSUT members are women, and we know that pension inequality hits them hardest. Too many workers are forced to choose between caring for their children or aging parents and securing their financial future. Fixing Tier 6 is about ensuring that women can live, work, raise their families, and retire with dignity.” Melinda Person, President of New York State United Teachers.

"For years, I’ve fought to expand access to medication abortion in New York and dismantle barriers to reproductive care. As federal attacks escalate, the Women’s Issues Task Force is advancing funding for the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program and sustaining grants for medication abortion and later pregnancy care. Through this Task Force, we are sending a clear message: New York will protect comprehensive reproductive health care," Assembly Member Amy Paulin.

“I am deeply grateful for Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and the New York State Assembly’s Task Force for Women’s Issues for their generous support of Win's homeless families in need. Thanks to Assembly Member González-Rojas’s leadership, direct support for Win’s shelter, income building, and supportive housing programs will be included in the Task Force on Women’s Issues budget letter. We are grateful to have such staunch advocates for New York’s most vulnerable women and children in the State Assembly, and look forward to continuing our work with Assembly Member González-Rojas and the task force to end family homelessness in New York,” Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO of Win.