What's happening
This bill establishes a public awareness campaign and funding to educate New Yorkers about addiction as a health issue and reduce stigma.
Why it matters
Frames addiction as a public health issue. By explicitly redefining addiction as a health condition rather than a personal choice, the bill aims to shift both public perception and policy focus toward treatment and support rather than blame or punishment.
Provides dedicated funding for outreach. The creation of an "addiction awareness fund" with an initial $5 million appropriation ensures that resources will be specifically allocated for this campaign, increasing the likelihood of sustained, impactful public education efforts.
Encourages broader participation. The fund can accept private grants, gifts, or bequests, inviting community organizations, philanthropists, and businesses to support addiction education, potentially expanding the campaign’s scope and reach.
Aims to reduce barriers to seeking help. By focusing on stigma reduction and publicizing available treatment options, the legislation seeks to make it easier for people struggling with addiction to access the help they need, which could lead to better health outcomes and reduced societal costs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Addiction Awareness Campaign
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 40
14 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2396
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. KIM, COLTON, GALEF, FRIEND, CRESPO, McDONOUGH, ORTIZ, WILLIAMS, GIGLIO, DICKENS, HYNDMAN, RAIA, JEAN-PIERRE, D'URSO, CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SIMON, THIELE, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the state finance law, in relation to establishing a public awareness and education campaign for addiction; treatment options; reducing the stigma of seeking help for addiction; and making an appropriation therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3309-b to read as follows:
§ 3309-b. Public awareness campaign for substance addiction. There is hereby established within the department an addiction awareness program to educate the public of addiction as a serious public health issue, and to offer remedies for such health issue through educational advertisements, including information such as, but not limited to, (1) treatment options, (2) reducing the stigma of seeking help for addiction, and (3) acknowledging addiction as a health issue (chemical related disorder), rather than a lifestyle issue (choice).
§ 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ff to read as follows:
§ 99-ff. Addiction awareness fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance a fund to be known as the "addiction awareness fund".
2. The fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for its purpose, and all monies required by any provision of law to be paid into or credited to such fund. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the department of health from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them into the fund according to law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03879-01-9
A. 2396 2
3. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner of health.
§ 3. The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of health out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the addiction awareness fund, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of health in the manner prescribed by law.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.