Alvarez, Simon, Paulin, Aubry, Cunningham, Brown K
 
MLTSPNSR
 
 
Requires that the siting, construction and establishment of methadone program facilities in cities with a population of one million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in proportion to the population of each such borough.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A2260A
SPONSOR: Septimo
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to require that the siting, construction and establishment of
methadone program facilities in cities having a population of one
million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in propor-
tion to the population of each such borough
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would require that, in cities having a population of one
million or more, methadone program facilities would be dispersed
throughout the boroughs of such city in proportion to the borough popu-
lation.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Creates a requirement of proportionality of the siting,
construction and/or establishment of methadone program facilities with
regard to the respective borough's population.
Section 2: Requires supportive methadone program facilities sited,
constructed and/or established in cities with a population of one
million or more after the effective date of this act shall be located in
boroughs with the lowest concentration of such facilities in proportion
to the borough population.
Section 3: Requires that prior to any siting, construction or establish-
ment of such supportive methadone program facility, the local community
board, or if no board exists, the appropriate neighborhood board, must
grant approval of the location, of the facility. Additionally, this
section provides that such local community board, or if no board exists
the appropriate neighborhood board, shall have the power to grant
exemption for certain supportive housing facilities.
Section 4: This act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Methadone Program Facilities provide critical care to people who need
them. Concentration of methadone program facilities in selected areas of
New York City have forced individuals to relocate, travel oppressive
distances and/or cluster in areas containing such facilities, leaving
the vast majority of New York City without any such necessary facili-
ties. By providing for proportional siting, construction, and establish-
ment of such facilities, the population of New York City, as a whole,
would have better access to the necessary care and supportive services
for people whose health depend on such services.
By requiring community board approval, such siting, construction and
establishment decisions will have to be approved by active and engaged
members of the community. The provision of stratified siting,
construction and establishment would ensure that people in New York City
seeking help would have a local option for treatment moving forward.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022 - A. 9345 Referred to Alcoholism and Drug Abuse S. 9157 Referred to
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2260--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SEPTIMO, ALVAREZ, SIMON, PAULIN, AUBRY -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to require that the siting, construction and establishment of
methadone program facilities in cities having a population of one
million or more be dispersed in the boroughs of such cities in propor-
tion to the population of each such borough
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, with-
2 in cities having a population of one million or more, methadone program
3 facilities registered with the office of addiction services and supports
4 pursuant to section 19.16 of the mental hygiene law within each such
5 city shall be sited, constructed and/or established throughout the
6 boroughs of such city in proportion to each borough's population to the
7 city's total population. Provided, however, that the provisions of this
8 section shall not apply to the siting, construction or establishment of
9 any methadone program facility for which the appropriate community board
10 or, if there be no community board, the appropriate neighborhood board
11 shall have granted an exemption from such provisions.
12 § 2. Methadone program facilities sited, constructed and/or estab-
13 lished within cities having a population of one million or more after
14 the effective date of this act shall be first located in those boroughs
15 of the city which have the lowest concentration of such facilities in
16 proportion to the borough population to the city's population. Once each
17 borough has achieved proper proportionality pursuant to this section,
18 siting, construction, and/or establishment of such facilities shall
19 continue within a city having a population of one million or more with
20 such proportionality requirements in mind.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05662-02-3
A. 2260--A 2
1 § 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no
2 methadone program facility shall be sited, constructed or established
3 within a city having a population of one million or more unless the
4 appropriate community board, or, if there be no community board, the
5 appropriate neighborhood board shall have approved the siting,
6 construction or establishment of such facility.
7 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.