NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1969
SPONSOR: Walker TITLE OF BILL:
An act authorizing and directing the department of health to do research
and study as to the effects of psychostimulants, selective seratonin
reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants and other drugs which are
prescribed for attention deficit disorders, ADD and ADHD, for school age
children
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To conduct a study on drugs prescribed for school-age children with ADD
and ADHD, making recommendations thereafter.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Authorizes the commissioner of health, in conjunction with the commis-
sioner of mental health, the commissioner of mental retardation and
developmental disabilities, and the commissioner of education to conduct
a study and do research as to the effect of psycho stimulants, selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants and other drugs
prescribed for ADD and ADHD, in school age children. The commissioner
shall report his or her findings to the governor, the sneaker of the
assembly and the temporary president of the senate within two years that
this act shall take effect.
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently 5 million school kids in America are on psychotropic drugs
that are prescribed and administered by their schools. (Insight Maga-
zine, June 1996). Kids are routinely being misdiagnosed and forced to
take drugs for behavior problems, often containing violent side effects.
This problem is becoming an epidemic with no end in sight. It is imper-
ative that the commissioner of health performs a study on the effect of
medicating our school children and making recommendations thereafter.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2015-2016: A6785 - Referred to Health
2017-2018: A6390 - Referred to Health
2019-2020: A3439 - Referred to Health
2021-2022: - Referred to Health
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1969
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WALKER, JEAN-PIERRE, STECK, SANTABARBARA, COOK --
read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT authorizing and directing the department of health to do research
and study as to the effects of psychostimulants, selective seratonin
reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants and other drugs which are
prescribed for attention deficit disorders, ADD and ADHD, for school
age children
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. 1. The commissioner of health, in conjunction with the
2 commissioner of mental health, the commissioner of developmental disa-
3 bilities, and the commissioner of education is authorized and directed
4 to conduct a study and do research as to the effect of psychostimulants,
5 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antidepressants and other drugs
6 prescribed for attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactiv-
7 ity disorder, and the increasing rate of diagnosis of these conditions,
8 in school age children.
9 2. The study shall be conducted in accordance with rules, regulations
10 and standards determined by the commissioner of health, and the study
11 shall concentrate on harmful side effects of such drugs, the appropri-
12 ateness and effectiveness of tools and methods used to assess and diag-
13 nose the condition, the appropriateness of different medications, and
14 any demographic disparities in diagnosis.
15 3. The commissioner of health shall report his or her findings to the
16 governor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the
17 senate on or before two years from the date this act shall take effect.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05576-01-3
