What's happening
This bill requires New York's Department of Health to collect and maintain data on the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19.
Why it matters
Improved Health Equity. By collecting data on sexual orientation and gender identity, the Department of Health can identify whether LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, helping to address potential health disparities and tailor public health responses.
Policy and Resource Allocation. Reliable demographic data enables policymakers to make more informed decisions about where to direct resources, education, and support services, potentially leading to more effective interventions for vulnerable populations.
Transparency and Accountability. Mandating the collection and maintenance of this data holds public health authorities accountable for monitoring the pandemic's impact across different communities, fostering transparency in government reporting and response.
Foundation for Future Research. Establishing these data practices creates a baseline for future public health crises, ensuring ongoing attention to the needs and outcomes of LGBTQ+ populations in statewide health initiatives.
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
Track COVID Patients' LGBTQ Data
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8356
IN SENATE
May 19, 2020
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- 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 requiring the department of health to collect and maintain data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new subdivision 31 to read as follows:
31. The department shall, in coordination with local departments of health, collect and maintain data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals who are diagnosed with COVID-19.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16365-01-0
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 requiring the department of health to collect and maintain data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19
Purpose of bill
In order to better inform New York State's response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBTQ community, this legislation would require the Department of Health to collect and maintain data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of those diagnosed with COVID-19.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill adds a new subdivision 31 to Section 206 of the Public Health Law to require the New York State Department of Health, in coordination with local departments of health, to collect and maintain data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of individ- uals who are diagnosed with COVID-19.
Section 2 of the bill provides the effective date.
Justification
LGBTQ New Yorkers are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of the ongoing pandemic due to a confluence of factors including lack of adequate health care, heightened exposure to the virus in the workplace, increased prevalence of comorbidities, economic hardship, and lack of stable housing.
According to the Human Rights Campaign:
* 17% of LGBTQ adults do not have any kind of health insurance coverage, compared to 12% of non-LGBTQ adults;
* About 22% of LGBTQ adults live in poverty in the U.S., compared to about 16% of straight and cisgender adults;
* About 40% of LGBTQ workers are employed in industries heavily impacted by COVID-19, compared to 22% of non-LGBTQ workers;
* 37% of LGBTQ adults smoke every day and 21% have asthma, making them more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19;
* 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ; and
* 29% of transgender adults live in poverty, 29% of transgender women have avoided going to the doctor due to cost, and 22% of transgender adults have no form of health coverage.
Though the State has publicized critical data relating to the dispropor- tionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color, information on how it has affected the LGBTQ community has been much more difficult to come by.
This lack of data is unfortunately a common occurrence - all too often, the State and local governments fail to collect specific information on the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals served by government programs or cared for by providers. This hampers the ability of policy-makers to respond effectively to the unique needs of a commu- nity which is often subject to discrimination and insufficient cultural sensitivity.
In this time of tremendous hardship, LGBTQ New Yorkers deserve to have a data-driven response from their government that is tailored to meet their immense needs. This bill would accomplish that goal by requiring the New York State Department of Health to collaborate with local health departments to collect data relating to the sexual orientation and gender identity of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
To be determined
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.