Bill Text: NY A08900 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes a Lyme and tick-borne disease working group to review current best practices for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Lyme and tick-borne diseases.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-5)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-20 - substituted by s7170a [A08900 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-A08900-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8900--A IN ASSEMBLY January 5, 2018 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER, LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit- tee AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a Lyme and tick-borne diseases working group The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 45-B 2 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 45-B 4 LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES WORKING GROUP 5 Section 958. Lyme and tick-borne diseases working group. 6 § 958. Lyme and tick-borne diseases working group. 1. There is hereby 7 created in the executive department a Lyme and tick-borne diseases work- 8 ing group consisting of the: 9 (a) commissioner of health; 10 (b) commissioner of the office of mental health; 11 (c) commissioner of environmental conservation; 12 (d) superintendent of financial services, who shall serve ex officio 13 and who may designate representatives to act on their behalf; and 14 (e) six additional members to be appointed by the governor. 15 2. The governor shall also appoint eight members to the working group 16 on the recommendation of the legislative leaders as follows: 17 (a) the temporary president of the senate shall recommend three 18 members; 19 (b) the speaker of the assembly shall recommend three members; 20 (c) the minority leader of the senate shall recommend one member; and 21 (d) the minority leader of the assembly shall recommend one member. 22 3. Members appointed to the working group shall include, but not be 23 limited to, at least one of each of the following, each of whom must 24 have experience working with issues related to Lyme and tick-borne 25 diseases: 26 (a) an infectious disease specialist; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13892-06-8A. 8900--A 2 1 (b) a general practitioner; 2 (c) a mental health practitioner; 3 (d) an entomologist; 4 (e) an epidemiologist; 5 (f) a representative of health insurance providers; and 6 (g) a representative of a tick-borne disease advocacy organization. 7 4. The commissioner of health shall serve, ex officio, as the chair of 8 the working group, and the governor shall designate the vice chair of 9 the working group. In appointing members of the working group, appoint- 10 ing authorities shall ensure that such members, as a group, represent 11 diverse scientific perspectives relevant to the duties of the working 12 group. The members of the working group, except those who serve ex offi- 13 cio, shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in 14 the performance of their duties under this article but shall receive no 15 additional compensation for services rendered pursuant to this article. 16 5. The working group, on call of the chair, shall meet at least twice 17 each year and at such other times as may be necessary. The working group 18 may establish quorum requirements and other rules and procedures regard- 19 ing conduct of its meetings and other affairs. 20 6. The working group shall have the following powers and responsibil- 21 ities: 22 (a) review current best practices for the diagnosis, treatment and 23 prevention of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, as well as any reports or 24 recommendations from the twenty-first century workgroup for disease 25 elimination and reduction, pursuant to section two hundred sixty-six of 26 the public health law; 27 (b) provide recommendations including, but not limited to: 28 (i) improvements to the delivery of care for patients and suspected 29 patients of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, particularly those from endem- 30 ic areas of the state; 31 (ii) collaborations among county departments of health to promote 32 effective strategies to combat Lyme and tick-borne diseases, including 33 best practices for prevention and reporting; 34 (iii) interagency collaborations to streamline state efforts to combat 35 the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases; 36 (iv) identifying opportunities to collaborate with the federal govern- 37 ment, non-profit entities, or private organizations on projects address- 38 ing these diseases; 39 (v) data collection and reporting requirements of Lyme and tick-borne 40 disease, including but not limited to, those for healthcare providers; 41 and 42 (vi) any other regulations or guidelines concerning Lyme and tick- 43 borne diseases; and 44 (c) prepare and issue a report on the working group's findings and 45 recommendations by May first, two thousand nineteen to the governor, the 46 temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. 47 7. If any appointments to the working group are not made by April 48 fifteenth, two thousand nineteen, then the working group may proceed to 49 meet and fulfill its responsibilities, pursuant to paragraphs two and 50 three of this section, without such appointees. 51 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 52 have become a law.
