What's happening
This bill requires health officials to notify patients if a provider recklessly exposes them to communicable diseases and defines such exposure as medical malpractice.
Why it matters
Strengthens patient rights by ensuring they are informed if they may have been put at risk for a communicable disease due to a provider’s reckless actions. this transparency could help patients take timely health precautions and seek care.
Explicitly identifies reckless exposure (such as reusing needles or syringes) as professional medical malpractice. , which could make it easier for affected patients to pursue legal or disciplinary action against providers, potentially raising the standards for infection control in medical settings.
Signals to healthcare providers that negligent or reckless practices can have serious professional and legal consequences. , which may incentivize stricter adherence to safety protocols and reduce risky behavior.
Empowers public health oversight by requiring official intervention and notification when reckless exposure is determined. , potentially helping to contain outbreaks and maintain public trust in the healthcare system.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Notify Patients of Disease Exposure
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
8 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1314
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, MOSLEY, RIVERA, GALEF, OTIS, ABINANTI, RAIA, BARCLAY, MONTESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, COOK, MOYA, SALADINO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to expanding the duties of the commissioner of health to notify the patient or patients of a health care provider if such health care provider is determined to have exposed such patient or patients to a communicable disease through reckless conduct; and to amend the education law, in relation to including exposing patients to a communicable disease due to reckless conduct in the definition of professional medical malpractice
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows:
(w) notify the patient or patients of a health care provider if such health care provider is determined to have exposed such patient or patients to a communicable disease through reckless conduct, including, but not limited to, the reuse of a syringe, needle or other sharp.
§ 2. Section 6530 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 50 to read as follows:
50. Exposing patients to a communicable disease due to reckless conduct, including, but not limited to, the reuse of a syringe, needle or other sharp.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04438-01-7
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.