Requires the department of health of the state of New York to conduct a study of the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on breastfeeding rates and prepare and submit a report to the governor and the legislature.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6707
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
September 11, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. BENJAMIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the
department of health of the state of New York to conduct a study of
the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on breastfeeding rates
and prepare and submit a report to the governor and the legislature
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-l to read as follows:
3 § 2500-l. Study of the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on
4 breastfeeding rates. 1. The department shall conduct a study on the
5 effects of racial and ethnic disparities on breastfeeding rates. The
6 purpose of the study shall be to:
7 (a) identify statewide and regional breastfeeding rates, trends,
8 patterns, and racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding rates, and
9 medical, non-medical, and system-related factors that may have contrib-
10 uted to breastfeeding rate disparities;
11 (b) review the extent to which racial and ethnic disparities in
12 breastfeeding in a geographic area indicate the need to increase access
13 to health care services in that area;
14 (c) identify ways to reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities
15 that contribute to disparities in breastfeeding rates; and
16 (d) review the extent to which racial and ethnic disparities in
17 breastfeeding initiation and duration indicate the need to increase
18 breastfeeding supports among racial and ethnic populations throughout
19 the state.
20 2. In conducting the study, the department may seek the advice of
21 persons specializing in the fields of neonatal and post neonatal pathol-
22 ogy, maternal and infant health, minority health advocacy, or other
23 related fields.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10114-03-9
S. 6707 2
1 3. Within one year after the effective date of this section, the
2 department shall prepare and submit to the governor, the temporary pres-
3 ident of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of
4 the senate and the minority leader of the assembly a report containing
5 the study's findings concerning the effects of racial and ethnic dispar-
6 ities on breastfeeding rates and recommendations for legislative or
7 other actions that can be undertaken to:
8 (a) increase breastfeeding rates in the state;
9 (b) reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities that contribute
10 to disparity in breastfeeding rates;
11 (c) increase access to health care services in the state; and
12 (d) increase breastfeeding support throughout the state.
13 4. The department may prepare and submit additional reports when the
14 department deems it appropriate, and each report, with the exception of
15 the first report prepared under this section, shall additionally identi-
16 fy the extent to which the department's prior recommendations have been
17 successfully implemented in practice and the apparent impact that the
18 implementation of such recommended changes has had on breastfeeding
19 rates in the preceding years.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
21 have become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or
22 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
23 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
24 on or before such date.
