What's happening
This bill requires health care providers to obtain informed consent before allowing anyone not essential to observe physical exams of patients with disabilities.
Why it matters
Empowers patients with disabilities and their guardians. by ensuring they are fully informed about who will observe their physical exams, increasing their control over sensitive medical situations.
Mandates disclosure of observers’ identities and roles. (including students), which could improve transparency and trust in medical environments, especially where educational activities occur.
Establishes a legal right to refuse observation by non-essential personnel. , potentially reducing discomfort, embarrassment, or trauma for vulnerable patients during physical examinations.
Expands anti-discrimination protections in health care settings. , making it explicitly unlawful to subject disabled patients to unnecessary observation, thereby reinforcing dignity and privacy rights.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Unauthorized Patient Observation
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1062
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring consent for visual observation of patients with disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 19-a to read as follows:
19-a. It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any physician, hospital, or other health care provider to subject a patient with a disability to visual observation during the course of any physical examination by any person not necessary to the diagnosis or treatment of such patient or any exhibition for medical education purposes, unless the patient, if competent, or the parent or guardian of an infant, guardian of a mentally retarded or developmentally disabled person, committee for an incompetent or a conservator for a conservatee has been informed by the physician, hospital or health care provider of the name, position or function of any personnel, including students, that are authorized to visually observe any physical examination and that the patient, if competent, or the parent or guardian of an infant, guardian of a mentally retarded or developmentally disabled person, committee for an incompetent, or conservator of a conservatee can refuse that examination and/or observation by the personnel.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01620-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.