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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 43
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
- 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.
Relates to the examination of persons ordered to obtain assisted outpatient treatment in counties with a population of less than 75,000
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor Felix Ortiz
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S5245
Title of bill
An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to examination of persons ordered to obtain assisted outpatient treatment in counties with a population of less than seventy-five thousand
Purpose or general idea of bill
Allows for the use of a psychiatrist employed by the state to provide the examination for and testify in court during "Kendra's Law" hearings in counties with a population under 75,000.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends subdivision (e) of section 9.60 of the mental hygiene law, as added by Chapter 158 of the Laws of 2005.
Justification
Kendra's Law requires a psychiatrist to be in court in hearings scheduled by the judge within 72 hours of a petition being filed. This is a nearly insurmountable problem in very small counties where there may be only one psychiatrist in the whole county. It is very difficult to ask a psychiatrist to rearrange his or her schedule on such short notice once in a while - but it would be nearly impossible to find one who would do so if there were several "Kendra's Law" petitions.
This bill would require OMH to make a psychiatrist from a nearby OMH facility available to the county for meeting the requirements of Kendra's Law in counties of under 75,000 in population.
Prior legislative history
2009-10: A.1116 - Passed Assembly; Referred to Senate Mental Health and Development Disabilities Committee. 2008: A.962 - Passed Assembly; Died in Senate Rules Cmte. 2007: A.962 - Referred to Assembly Mental Health Committee 2005-06: A.256 - Referred to the Assembly Mental Health Committee.
Fiscal implications to state and local government
There would be no additional cost to the State but this would relieve a burden on the eligible counties.
Effective date
Immediately, and effective only for the duration of Kendra's Law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.