What's happening
This bill allows local health departments to operate limited health care service facilities under new, separate regulations.
Why it matters
Expands public health options. By enabling local health departments to directly operate "municipal limited health care service facilities," the bill allows for more flexible, community-focused healthcare delivery, especially in areas underserved by traditional hospitals or clinics.
Customizes regulatory standards. The bill directs the state health commissioner to create tailored regulations for these municipal facilities, which can differ from standard hospital rules—potentially lowering administrative or operational barriers and making it easier to open and run such centers.
Targets specific local needs. With the ability to limit and designate the types of diagnoses and services offered, local authorities can address particular health issues relevant to their communities (e.g., vaccination, STD testing, urgent care) rather than providing the full range of hospital services.
Ensures oversight and patient protections. Even with separate rules, the bill requires regulations on key areas such as informed consent, record-keeping, employee health, and referrals, aiming to maintain patient safety and care continuity while allowing new models of service delivery.
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
Allow City Health Clinics
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
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.
Allow City-Run Health Clinics
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4390
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to municipal limited health care service facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 2801-a of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 17 to read as follows:
17. (a) Diagnostic or treatment centers or other facilities managed and administered by a local health department for the purpose of providing limited health care services as defined by the commissioner may be operated by a local health department. Such facilities shall be referred to in this subdivision as "municipal limited health care service facilities".
(b) The commissioner shall promulgate regulations for municipal limited health care service facilities, which may be different from the regulations otherwise applicable to hospitals, including, but not limited to: designating or limiting the diagnoses and services that may be provided; employee health requirements; and requirements or guidelines for advertising and signage, disclosure of ownership interests, informed consent, record keeping, referral for treatment, case reporting to the patient's primary care or other health care providers, design, construction, fixtures, and equipment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03762-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to municipal limited health care service facilities
Purpose
To authorize the commissioner to make regulations for municipal limited health care service facilities
Summary of provisions
Section one amends section 2801-a of the public health law by adding a new subdivision 17 to provide that diagnostic or treatment centers or other facilities managed and administered by a local health department for the purpose of providing limited health care services as defined by the health commissioner may be operated by a local health department and shall be referred to as municipal limited health care service facili- ties. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations for municipal limit- ed health care service facilities, which may be different from the regu- lations otherwise applicable to hospitals, including, but not limited to: designating or limiting the diagnoses and services that may be provided; employee health requirements; and requirements or guidelines for advertising and signage, disclosure of ownership interests, informed consent, record keeping, referral for treatment, case reporting to the patient's primary care or other health care providers, design, construction, fixtures, and equipment.
Section two provides the effective date.
Justification
Local health departments operate clinics to provide specified clinical public health services, such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted disease and immunization clinics. Currently, these clinics are subject to the full range of requirements imposed on hospitals and other full service diagnostic and treatment centers under Article 28 of the Public Health Law. To require compliance with these stringent requirements places unnecessary and crippling burdens on the limited service public health clinics operated by local health departments, threatening the ability of the local health departments to maintain these limited service clinics. This bill will provide the commissioner the flexibility to develop a regulatory framework that makes sense for limited service public health clinics and permit their continued operation so that vital public health services may continue to be provided.
Legislative history
2019: New Bill
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.