NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A4987A
SPONSOR: Pheffer Amato
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a
video on the dangers of drowning for infants and young children to be
viewed by a parent and/or parents of newborn children
 
PURPOSE:
This bill directs the Department of Health to create and make available
a video regarding the dangers of drowning geared toward toddlers and
young children to be viewed by new parents prior to their release from
the maternity ward.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision 6 of section 2803-j of the
public health law to request that maternity patients view a video pres-
entation on the risks of drowning for small children. This section sets
forth that the video will be approved by the commissioner.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Drowning is the top cause of accidental death of children under five
years of age, with the toddlers who are between twelve and thirty-six
months of age at the highest risk. This legislation seeks to educate new
parents to the dangers of drowning that can occur by leaving a toddler
unattended in near or in two inches of water, like what can be found in
bathtubs, buckets or toilets. Additionally, drowning occurs in residen-
tial pools and other water sources as well. Information shared by the
New York Water Safety Coalition indicates that drowning rates are higher
among persons of color and the disparities are highest among children of
color.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become a
law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4987--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, HEVESI -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a
video on the dangers of drowning for infants and young children to be
viewed by a parent and/or parents of newborn children
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 2803-j of the public health law,
2 as amended by chapter 431 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 6. Every hospital and birth center shall request that [each maternity
5 patient and father of] a parent and/or parents, which shall mean and
6 include biological and adoptive parents, guardians, or other persons in
7 parental relationship to a newborn child, if available, view (a) a video
8 presentation, approved by the commissioner, on the dangers of shaking
9 infants and young children, and the symptoms of shaken baby syndrome,
10 and (b) a video presentation, approved by the commissioner, on the
11 dangers of drowning for infants and young children. After viewing such
12 [a video presentation] video presentations or upon refusal to view such
13 [a video presentation] video presentations, the hospital or birth center
14 shall request that such [patient and/or father] parent and/or parents
15 sign a form stating that they have viewed or refused to view such video
16 [presentation] presentations. All training materials and forms required
17 to implement the provisions of this subdivision shall be provided by the
18 commissioner.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
20 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
21 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
22 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
23 completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07460-05-3