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History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.40
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Directs the commissioner of mental health to prepare a report on the effectiveness of mental health parity
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor Peter Rivera
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to directing the commissioner of mental health to prepare a report on the effectiveness of mental health parity; to amend chapter 748 of the laws of 2006 amending the insurance law relating to enacting "Timothy's law", in relation to making the provisions of such chapter permanent; and to amend chapter 502 of the laws of 2007 amending the insurance law relating to certain coverage for mental illness, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose
This bill removes the December 31, 2009 sunset date on Timothy's Law and thereby makes mental health parity permanent in New York State. It also requires the Commissioner of Mental Health to prepare a report on the effectiveness of Timothy's Law by March 31, 2010.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law by adding anew subdivision (k) requiring the Commissioner of Mental Health to report on the effectiveness of Timothy's Law by March 31, 2010.
Sections 2 & 3 of the bill amend the effective dates of both Chapter 748 of 2006 and Chapter 502 of 2007 making them permanent.
Section 4 of the bill provides for an immediate effective date.
Justification
Timothy's Law, which this bill makes permanent, assures coverage for mental illness for millions of New Yorkers and provides mental health insurance parity in New York State. It prevents the unfair treatment of persons who suffer from mental illnesses and helps ensure their successful, complete recovery by prohibiting health insurance contracts from setting more restrictive limits or higher deductibles for diagnosis and treatment of these sicknesses than for other conditions covered in the same contract. Since New York State's adoption of mental health parity in 2006, the federal government has followed suit.
Timothy's Law is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2009. Although the Governor's 2009-2010 budget does propose a one year extension, this bill goes further and makes this important and historic statute permanent.
Legislative history
New Bill. Timothy's Law was adopted by Chapter 748 of 2006 and technical amendments were made by Chapter 502 of 2007. The law is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2009, although the Governor's proposed 2009-2010 budget includes a one year extension of that date.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.