NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1479
SPONSOR: Santabarbara TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the
Lyme disease vaccine study fund
PURPOSE:
To establish the Lyme disease vaccine study fund in the State of New
York. SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: The State Finance law is amended to establish the Lyme
disease vaccine study fund. The fund shall be expended by the Department
of Health to study the development of a Lyme disease vaccine. The
Department of Health may also provide grants for the purpose of advanc-
ing the study and development of a Lyme disease vaccine from outside
research institutions. The Commissioner of the Department of Health
will provide a report yearly by February 1st to the State Legislature
and Governor.
Section 2: Effective Date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Annually, there are estimated to be 300,000 cases of Lyme disease
nationally, and in 2015, New York was one of the 14 states which
contained 95% of the confirmed cases of Lyme disease. If left untreated,
this illness can develop into chronic Lyme disease, which can severely
affect the nervous system, heart, muscles and joints, as well as several
other vital functions. The bill I introduced will allot funds to the
Department of Health in order to research and progress the development
of a Lyme disease vaccine. Also, this bill will create a study that will
help to identify the issues of widespread Lyme disease and why it has
been a rapidly growing sickness. The goal of this bill is to help resi-
dents and visitors safely enjoy the many unique outdoor recreational
activities that New York State has to offer by reducing or eliminating
the risk of Lyme Disease.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2017-18: A11132 - referred to ways and means
2017-18: A1345 - referred to ways and means
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1479
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the
Lyme disease vaccine study fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 86
2 to read as follows:
3 § 86. Lyme disease vaccine study fund. 1. There is hereby established
4 in the custody of the state comptroller a special fund to be known as
5 the "Lyme disease vaccine study fund".
6 2. The sources of funds shall consist of all moneys collected there-
7 for, or moneys credited or transferred thereto from any other fund or
8 source pursuant to law, or any other moneys made available for the
9 purposes of such fund.
10 3. (a) Moneys of such fund shall be expended to the department of
11 health to study the development of a Lyme disease vaccine. Such study
12 shall:
13 (i) examine and evaluate current research and progress in the develop-
14 ment of a Lyme disease vaccine;
15 (ii) identify potential barriers to the development of a Lyme disease
16 vaccine;
17 (iii) identify issues with the widespread distribution of a Lyme
18 disease vaccine;
19 (iv) evaluate the costs of developing a Lyme disease vaccine; and
20 (v) make recommendations as to how to fund such vaccine's development.
21 (b) The department of health may also provide grants for the purpose
22 of advancing the study and development of a Lyme disease vaccine.
23 4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of
24 the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner
25 of health.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03957-01-1
A. 1479 2
1 5. On or before the first day of February each year, the commissioner
2 of health shall provide a written report to the temporary president of
3 the senate, speaker of the assembly, chair of the senate finance commit-
4 tee, chair of the assembly ways and means committee, chair of the senate
5 committee on health, chair of the assembly health committee, the state
6 comptroller and the public. Such report shall include how the monies of
7 the fund were utilized during the preceding calendar year, and shall
8 include:
9 (a) the amount of money disbursed from the fund and the process used
10 for such disbursements;
11 (b) recipients of awards from the fund;
12 (c) the amount awarded to each;
13 (d) the purposes for which such awards were granted; and
14 (e) a summary financial plan for such monies which shall include esti-
15 mates of all receipts and all disbursements for the current and succeed-
16 ing fiscal years, along with the actual results from the prior fiscal
17 year.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
