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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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7170--A
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 3, 2018
___________
Introduced by Sens. SERINO, HANNON, AMEDORE, AVELLA, BONACIC, CROCI,
HELMING, JACOBS, LARKIN, LITTLE, MARCHIONE, O'MARA, PHILLIPS, RANZEN-
HOFER, RITCHIE, SAVINO, SEWARD, TEDISCO, VALESKY -- read twice and
ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13892-05-8
S. 7170--A 2
1 have experience working with issues related to Lyme and tick-borne
2 diseases:
3 (a) an infectious disease specialist;
4 (b) a general practitioner;
5 (c) a mental health practitioner;
6 (d) an entomologist;
7 (e) an epidemiologist;
8 (f) a representative of health insurance providers; and
9 (g) a representative of a tick-borne disease advocacy organization.
10 4. The commissioner of health shall serve, ex officio, as the chair of
11 the working group, and the governor shall designate the vice chair of
12 the working group. In appointing members of the working group, appoint-
13 ing authorities shall ensure that such members, as a group, represent
14 diverse scientific perspectives relevant to the duties of the working
15 group. The members of the working group, except those who serve ex offi-
16 cio, shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in
17 the performance of their duties under this article but shall receive no
18 additional compensation for services rendered pursuant to this article.
19 5. The working group, on call of the chair, shall meet at least twice
20 each year and at such other times as may be necessary. The working group
21 may establish quorum requirements and other rules and procedures regard-
22 ing conduct of its meetings and other affairs.
23 6. The working group shall have the following powers and responsibil-
24 ities:
25 (a) review current best practices for the diagnosis, treatment and
26 prevention of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, as well as any reports or
27 recommendations from the twenty-first century workgroup for disease
28 elimination and reduction, pursuant to section two hundred sixty-six of
29 the public health law;
30 (b) provide recommendations including, but not limited to:
31 (i) improvements to the delivery of care for patients and suspected
32 patients of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, particularly those from endem-
33 ic areas of the state;
34 (ii) collaborations among county departments of health to promote
35 effective strategies to combat Lyme and tick-borne diseases, including
36 best practices for prevention and reporting;
37 (iii) interagency collaborations to streamline state efforts to combat
38 the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases;
39 (iv) identifying opportunities to collaborate with the federal govern-
40 ment, non-profit entities, or private organizations on projects address-
41 ing these diseases;
42 (v) data collection and reporting requirements of Lyme and tick-borne
43 disease, including but not limited to, those for healthcare providers;
44 and
45 (vi) any other regulations or guidelines concerning Lyme and tick-
46 borne diseases; and
47 (c) prepare and issue a report on the working group's findings and
48 recommendations by May first, two thousand nineteen to the governor, the
49 temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.
50 7. If any appointments to the working group are not made by April
51 fifteenth, two thousand nineteen, then the working group may proceed to
52 meet and fulfill its responsibilities, pursuant to paragraphs two and
53 three of this section, without such appointees.
54 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
55 have become a law.