What's happening
This bill makes it a class E felony for health care providers to recklessly infect patients with communicable diseases.
Why it matters
Introduces criminal liability for reckless conduct by health care providers. not just intentional or negligent acts—broadening the legal standard and potentially increasing provider accountability for unsafe practices.
Specifically targets practices like reusing needles or sharps. , which have historically led to outbreaks of diseases such as hepatitis or HIV, aiming to directly deter these high-risk behaviors.
Covers a wide range of medical professionals. , including those practicing medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, or podiatry, and even those falsely claiming to be licensed, thus addressing both professional and fraudulent care.
Classifies the offense as a class E felony. , which can result in significant legal consequences (such as prison time), signaling the seriousness of patient safety violations and possibly changing how providers and institutions manage infection control.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Punish Reckless Patient Infection
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
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.
Criminalize Reckless Disease Infection
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1619
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, MOSLEY, GALEF, RIVERA, OTIS, ABINANTI, BARCLAY, RAIA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, COOK, MOYA -read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to creating the offense of reckless infection of a patient with a communicable disease by a health care provider
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 240.67 to read as follows: § 240.67 Reckless infection of a patient with a communicable disease by
a health care provider.
A person is guilty of reckless infection of a patient with a communicable disease by a health care provider when a health care provider through reckless conduct, including, but not limited to, the reuse of a syringe, needle or other sharp, infects a patient with a communicable disease. For the purposes of this section, "health care provider" means any person who is, or is required to be, licensed or registered or holds himself or herself out to be licensed or registered, or provides services as if he or she were licensed or registered in the profession of medicine, chiropractic, dentistry or podiatry under any of the following: article one hundred thirty-one, one hundred thirty-two, one hundred thirty-three, or one hundred forty-one of the education law.
Reckless infection of a patient with a communicable disease by a health care provider is a class E felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01819-01-7
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.