Mandates the creation of a reference list of businesses that provide locator technology designed to assist in the expedited location of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's disease or dementia who become lost or disoriented.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1118A
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
the creation of a reference list of businesses that provide locator
technology designed to assist in the expedited location of individuals
afflicted with Alzheimer's disease or dementia who become lost or diso-
riented
 
PURPOSE:
This bill provides quick and easily accessible information to assist in
the protection of patients afflicted with Alzheimer's disease or demen-
tia; provides a database of technology and tools that aid in locating a
lost or disoriented person.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public health law by adding a new section 2010 to
direct the Department of Health to develop a database of providers of
locator technology based on information provided by business and other
entities who choose to register.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Alzheimer's disease can erase a person's memory of once familiar
surroundings and make adaptation to new surroundings extremely diffi-
cult. Over 60 percent of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or
another form of dementia unintentionally wander away from their homes or
care centers and turn up frightened and disoriented far from where they
started. When such individuals are not recovered within 24 hours, rough-
ly half of them suffer serious injury or death.
To help address this problem, this bill will require the Department of
Health to create a list of businesses that provide locator technology
for recovering individuals with Alzheimer's who wander off.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2015-16: A.393-A - Referred to Aging; S.3186-A - Referred to Health
2013-14: A.5286 - Referred to Aging; S.3452 - Referred to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law, provided that the department
of health is immediately authorized and directed to take such actions as
are necessary to implement this act, including the promulgation of rules
in accordance with the state administrative procedure act, on or before
its effective date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1118--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Aging -- recommitted to the Committee on Aging in accord-
ance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the creation of a
reference list of businesses that provide locator technology designed
to assist in the expedited location of individuals afflicted with
Alzheimer's disease or dementia who become lost or disoriented
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 2010 to read as follows:
3 § 2010. Alzheimer's and dementia locator technology information. 1.
4 The department, in conjunction with the office for the aging, the
5 department of social services and the state police, shall develop a list
6 of businesses and other entities that manufacture, distribute or other-
7 wise offer locator technology or services designed to assist in the
8 expedited location of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's disease or
9 dementia who become lost or disoriented. Such businesses and other
10 entities may register with the department to be included on such list.
11 The department shall notify all physicians licensed to practice in this
12 state of the existence of the list and shall make the list available to
13 the general public through the department's website. The list shall be
14 updated by the department as needed, and may be maintained on or
15 connected to the websites of other state offices, including those main-
16 tained by the office for the aging, the department of social services,
17 the state police, and the department of mental health.
18 2. As used in this section "locator technology" means any product,
19 program or system used to assist in the location and identification of
20 lost or disoriented persons, and includes but is not limited to, radio
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04968-02-8
A. 1118--A 2
1 wrist transmitter tracking systems, software programs, data bases, and
2 products containing identifying information, including necklaces or
3 bracelets.
4 3. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as he
5 or she deems necessary to give effect to the provisions of this section.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
7 ing the date on which it shall have become a law, provided that the
8 department of health is immediately authorized and directed to take such
9 actions as are necessary to implement this act, including the promulga-
10 tion of rules in accordance with the state administrative procedure act,
11 on or before its effective date.