Amd §2500-m, Pub Health L (as proposed in S.5992-A & A.6168-A)
Provides that maternal health care facilities are not required to grant doula access during emergencies or when such access could compromise the safety of the patient or health care team.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1019
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to doula access
during emergency situations
PURPOSE:
To make changes to the access requirement of doulas within maternal
healthcare facilities.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill would clarify that a maternal health care facility is not
required to grant a doula access to a person or area of the facility
during emergencies or when access could compromise the safety of the
patient or healthcare team.
JUSTIFICATION:
Doulas can play a crucial role in supporting birthing people and fami-
lies, and deploying doulas has proven to be an effective strategy in
addressing racial disparities in maternal healthcare by reducing severe
maternal morbidity and mortality. Ensuring that doula's can practice
within hospitals expands their job opportunities and allows them to
fulfill their responsibilities.
This bill would make changes to align with federal regulations and best
adhere with patient safety and discretion of the medical provider as in
certain circumstances limited access to visitors may be best served.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
None noted.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to
permitting expecting and new mothers' access to their doulas, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5992-A and A .6168-A, takes
effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1019
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to doula access
during emergency situations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 2500-m of the public health law, as amended by a
2 chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law relating to
3 permitting expecting and new mothers' access to their doulas, as
4 proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5992-A and A. 6168-A, is
5 amended to read as follows:
6 § 2500-m. Access to doulas. (a) When a person is admitted to a mater-
7 nal health care facility for delivery and/or inpatient care post-deliv-
8 ery, such person may designate a doula to have access to such person.
9 The maternal health care facility shall not deny such person access to
10 such person's designated doula. For the purposes of this section, the
11 term "maternal health care facility" shall mean a hospital or freestand-
12 ing birthing center providing perinatal services in accordance with
13 article twenty-eight of this chapter and applicable regulations.
14 (b) Nothing in this section shall require a maternal health care
15 facility to grant a doula access to a person or area of the facility
16 during emergencies or when such access could compromise the safety of
17 the patient or health care team.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
19 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law
20 relating to permitting expecting and new mothers' access to their
21 doulas, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5992-A and A.
22 6168-A, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02834-01-5
