STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5991--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 24, 2023
___________
Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, ADDABBO, FERNANDEZ, SEPULVEDA -- read twice
and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
on Women's Issues -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to permitting doulas
to be present in the operating room while a cesarean section is being
performed
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 2500-m to read as follows:
3 § 2500-m. Cesarean section; persons present. 1. No person shall be
4 denied the ability to have a doula present in the operating room, for
5 the duration such person is in an operating room, when such person is in
6 the operating room for the purposes of a cesarean section and has no
7 other support person available to them.
8 2. The department shall require all maternal healthcare facilities to
9 include and/or post on the maternal healthcare facility's webpage,
10 lobby, and patient waiting areas information stating a birthing parent
11 is allowed to have a doula present in the operating room, for the dura-
12 tion of such person is in an operating room, when such person is in the
13 operating room for the purposes of a cesarean section when no other
14 support person is available to the birthing person. Such information
15 shall be written in layperson's language and shall be made available in
16 English and the six most common non-English languages spoken by individ-
17 uals with limited English proficiency in New York state as based on the
18 most recent census. The department shall produce and provide maternal
19 healthcare facilities with informational pamphlets stating a birthing
20 parent shall be allowed to have a doula present in the operating room,
21 for the duration of such person is in an operating room, when such
22 person is in the operating room for the purposes of a cesarean section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10162-03-3
S. 5991--A 2
1 The informational pamphlet shall be: available in each patient waiting
2 area as a printed deliverable; written in layperson's language; and made
3 available in English and the six most common non-English languages
4 spoken by individuals with limited English proficiency in New York state
5 as based on the most recent census.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
