What's happening
This bill directs the New York health commissioner to study and report on non-medical obstetrical ultrasound practices and their regulation.
Why it matters
Addresses potential health risks. By examining the health impact of prolonged or unnecessary ultrasound exposure, the study could inform policies to protect pregnant individuals and fetuses from possible harm associated with non-medical ultrasounds.
Scrutinizes unregulated businesses. The bill targets the proliferation of businesses offering non-diagnostic ultrasound services, raising concerns about the qualifications, oversight, and motivations of such providers.
Evaluates regulatory gaps. The study will assess whether current laws and rules governing ultrasound machine operation and maintenance are sufficient, potentially uncovering loopholes that could endanger public safety.
Lays groundwork for future regulation. Recommendations from the commissioner could shape new laws or regulations, possibly restricting or standardizing non-medical ultrasound practices statewide, which may affect both service providers and consumers.
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
Study Nonmedical Ultrasound Use
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
236
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT directing the commissioner of health to conduct a study of the practice of obstetrical ultrasound procedures for non-medical and non-diagnostic purposes
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. a. The commissioner of health is directed to conduct a study of the practice of obstetrical ultrasound procedures for non-medical and non-diagnostic purposes. Subjects to be studied shall include, but not be limited to, the health impact of prolonged and/or unnecessary exposure to an ultrasound machine, the proliferation of businesses offering such services in the state, and the adequacy of the current requirements for operation and maintenance of ultrasound machines. The study shall contain any recommendations that the commissioner finds necessary for regulatory or statutory restrictions on the practice of non-medical and non-diagnostic obstetrical ultrasound procedures.
b. The commissioner of health shall report, publish and transmit his or her findings to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate and the minority leader of the senate on or before one year from the date this act shall take effect.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05428-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act directing the commissioner of health to conduct a study of the practice of obstetrical ultrasound procedures for non- medical and non-diagnostic purposes
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would direct the Commissioner of Health to conduct a study analyzing the practice of conducting prolonged and/or unnecessary ultrasounds for non-medical and non-diagnostic purposes from both a medical and business perspective.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill requires the commissioner of health to conduct a study analyzing the impact of conducting prolonged and/or unnecessary ultrasounds for non-medical and non-diagnostic purposes on the health of the receiving individual, as well as analyzing the proliferation of business offering such services and the adequacy of the current require- ments for maintenance and operation of ultrasound machines.
Section 2 of the bill provides that the act shall take effect immediate- ly.
Justification
Obstetrical ultrasound procedures are an immensely useful medical tool to ensure the health of a mother and her fetus during pregnancy. When used for medical procedures, ultrasounds are considered to be safe and non-invasive, and help to confirm a pregnancy, determine whether vaginal bleeding is occurring, and monitor a fetus' heartbeat.
However, despite its usefulness, an ultrasound is still a procedure that should be administered by a licensed medical professional and should not be commercialized for the purposes of recording fetal "keepsake" videos and images. The FDA has released a statement urging people not to use ultrasound devices in this manner, as it is unclear what impact prolonged exposure to these devices might have on the health of the fetus and the mother. The FDA notes that ultrasounds can produce slight tissue heating and cavitation, the long-term health impacts of which are currently unknown.
This legislation would direct the commissioner of health to conduct a study of this practice, and determine the health impacts of the practice along with the proliferation of these kind of "keepsake" imaging busi- nesses in the State of New York.
Prior legislative history
S.0106 of 2017-2018 (Hoylman): Died in Health S.4972 of 2015-2016 (Hoylman): Died in Rules (2015)/Died in Health (2016)
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.