Environmental Safety and Protecting Human Remains

Assembly Health Committee passes 11 bills

The Assembly Committee on Health favorably reported 11 bills today. For more information

on a particular bill, please contact the sponsor listed after the description.

Displaying Human Remains – Prohibits the commercial display of human remains, with limited exceptions. (A.412, Kavanagh)

Protection of Human Remains – Increases the penalties for receiving a stolen human body or part. (A.432, Kavanagh)

Reporting of Pesticide Poisoning – Requires health care providers to report cases of pesticide poisoning to the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Conservation, with investigation by DEC. (A.1668, Englebright)

TCE Contamination Remediation – Maximum indoor air contaminant levels for Trichloroethylene (TCE) to be set by the Department of Health. These standards would be used to guide Department of Environmental Conservation remediation programs. (A.2267, Lupardo)

Health Facility Operator’s Labor Record – When the Department of Health is considering the “character and competence” of someone seeking to own or operate a hospital, nursing home, or other facility, the bill would require the Department to consider the person’s record on labor relations and labor standards. (A.2706, Gant)

Hand Washing at Petting Zoos – Requires petting zoos or similar public establishments to have hand-washing facilities located within 50 feet of the exit, with signs to advise patrons. (A.3576-A, Perry)

Colon Cancer Education Funding – Provides an income tax check-off for colon cancer education. (A.4601-A, Cymbrowitz)

Drug Marketing Restrictions – Prohibits the sale of physician identified prescription records for marketing purposes. (A.5891-B, Cahill)

Feeding Our Communities – Creates the Community Food Security, Empowerment and Economic Development (SEED) Program to increase the self-sufficiency of low-income communities in providing for their food needs. (A.6598-A, Cook)

Patient Transition Demonstration Program – Establishes the Transition Authorization Panel demonstration program in certain hospitals. The panel would make determinations about transferring a patient from a hospital to post-acute care for patients who lack decision-making capacity and have no one to make decisions on their behalf. (A.8647-B, Canestrari)

Small Nursing Home for Neurologically Impaired Patients – Continues a special Medicaid reimbursement rate for certain small nursing homes for neurologically impaired patients. (A.9944, McEneny)