Relates to the powers and duties of the tick-borne disease institute; appropriation

5 Co-sponsors

• George Latimer
• Bill Perkins
• John L. Sampson
• Diane J. Savino
• Cecilia Tkaczyk

BILL NUMBER:S5983

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the powers and duties of the tick-borne disease institute; and making an appropriation therefor

Purpose

To increase public awareness and community outreach for prevention of tick bites and treatment of tick borne illness symptoms. To provide funding for research and efforts to raise public awareness of tick borne illness.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of the bill amends Section 2798 of the public health law to establish grants for research, detection, education and outreach related to tick-borne illness. Section 2 provides an appropriation of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) to the department of health for grants made by the Tick-Borne Disease Institute for research, detection, education and outreach related to tick-borne illness.

Justification

The spread of Lyme disease in the Hudson Valley, Long Island and other parts of New York State has been growing steadily in the past few years. In August 2013 the CDC found that there are at least ten times the number of people affected with Lyme disease than was previously reported.

If not diagnosed and treated early, Lyme disease can lead to chronic illness and can affect every system in the body, including the central nervous system and the cardiac system. Later symptoms of Lyme disease include arthritis, neurological problems (such as facial paralysis, memory problems, extreme weaknesses of the extremities and seizures), heart block and inflammation and even blindness.

Although we first identified Lyme disease in the 1970s, many questions still remain to be examined. Currently, there is no definitive testing or treatment for chronic Lyme disease. Despite the debilitating nature of this disease and the many unanswered questions surrounding Lyme disease we have not invested enough money into research. Indeed, the funding for the Tick-Borne Disease Institute has been significantly underfunded and is experiencing significant cuts from $150,000 in 2008 to under $70,000 in 2013. This bill will begin our path toward proper research funding.

Legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

This bill would provide the department of health's tick borne disease institute with one million dollars from the general fund for research, detection, education and outreach on tick borne illness.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately