Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo: With the arrival on your desk late last week of A.7558-B/S.7854, known as the Lyme Bill, I am writing to again urge you to sign this important piece of legislation. Earlier this fall you expressed your support for this bill in an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, and with your words Hudson Valley residents suffering from Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses – and others across the state – found the promise of support in their hope for both treatment options and recovery. As you know, cases of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases have reached crisis level in New York State. Speaking to the urgency of the situation, the bill Senator Kemp Hannon and I sponsored passed unanimously in both houses of the State Legislature and has been publicly supported by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, as well as Congressmen Sean Patrick Maloney and Chris Gibson. If enacted into law, the bill would keep decisions about the best course of treatment for Lyme disease between a doctor and patient by ensuring that doctors who are pursuing safe and effective treatment options can do so without fear of professional censure from members of the medical community who fail to recognize Lyme as a chronic condition. I’m sure your office, like mine, has heard the voices of many residents who need our help. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I respectfully request that you help us provide our friends, neighbors and family members struggling with tick-borne illnesses the care and treatment options they deserve. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely,
Didi Barrett
Member of Assembly, 106th District