A group of Binghamton University students traveled to Albany on Monday to advocate for expanded birth control access statewide.

Organized by the New York Birth Control Access Project, a nonprofit organization committed to “building and energizing an activist base for Reproductive Justice by investing in young people,” students across New York urged legislators to pass two bills related to contraception access.

The first, S6441, would require private health insurance companies to pay pharmacists for their services when prescribing birth control. Luca Cassidy, the Student Association’s vice president for student success and a senior double-majoring in economics and sociology, said a lack of monetary compensation likely explained why many pharmacists were not dispensing self-use hormonal contraceptives under the Birth Control Access Act, which Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in 2023 allowing pharmacists to distribute birth control like the pill, patch and ring without a prescription from a primary care provider.

The other bill, A2514, would allow pharmacists to administer the birth control shot, typically injected into muscle and repeated every 12 weeks.

“We often hear from people who ask why we are focused on birth control in New York,” wrote Jenna Bimbi, the organization’s founder and co-executive director. “I think the question should be why aren’t we focusing on birth control in New York. Currently in New York there are fewer contraceptive providers per person than most other states in the nation — ranking with Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.”

“We can certainly do better as a state in providing more access to birth control, and we shouldn’t allow the floor to be the ceiling,” she continued. “Just because we are better than some states, it doesn’t make it good enough.”

As part of Albany Day, hosted by the Access Project, students and activists met with state officials and their staff to lobby for the legislation. Cassidy said that they were given the opportunity to tell personal stories of women negatively affected by a lack of birth control access. Kristina Donders, a junior double-majoring in mathematics and political science, said the event helped bring students concerned with reproductive freedoms together.

“Albany Day gave students the chance to speak up for their rights at a time when reproductive healthcare access feels increasingly uncertain,” Donders wrote. “But beyond the policy discussions, it was also about finding community — connecting with like-minded advocates, sharing personal experiences, and building a network of support. For many, it was a reminder that we’re not alone in this fight and that our voices matter.”

Activists believe these legislative changes would expand birth control access for millions of New Yorkers. Around 1.2 million women live in “contraceptive deserts” across the state, according to data from Power to Decide, a nonprofit promoting sexual health awareness among young people. Thousands of women in seven upstate counties do not have access to a clinic that provides all forms of contraception. This scarcity can lead patients to face prolonged wait times for appointments or be unable to see a medical provider at all.

The University has taken steps to expand birth control access for students, with administrative officials and campus leaders unveiling a Plan B vending machine last May, giving students 24/7 access to $10 emergency contraception. Cassidy partnered with Nora Monasheri ‘23, MBA ‘24, a former BU Council representative; Road Map interns; and leaders from Planned Parenthood Generation Binghamton to work on the project.

Janmariz, a junior majoring in human development who serves as president of the Disabled Students Union, said birth control is not just about pregnancy for many people, including themself, mentioning their own experiences with birth control to manage conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. They added that Monday’s activism shows how young people can be voices for change.

“Yesterday was a good reminder that every year is an election year, each passing moment there is a bill being proposed or passed, and each of these decisions are directly affecting us … and we CAN do something about it,” they wrote, referring to the Monday trip. “There are many avenues to getting invested and involved in politics. I encourage students to find opportunities like this to connect tangible action to their passion.”

“Lobbying is quite an interesting feat, but is one way to get quick action from our legislators,” they added. “I have a voice, a story, and facts — and really that’s all you need and more.”