New York Bills

This bill permits local health officials in public health districts to request autopsy and toxicology reports related to deaths. It specifically allows requests when a death occurs within their district or when the deceased was a resident of the district and sustained a relevant injury, received treatment, or was pronounced dead there. Coroner's offices must provide these records within 3 business days for within-district deaths or up to 7 days for out-of-district requests. The law applies to local health officials under New York's Public Health Law and requires both requesters and coroners to maintain records of these requests.

This bill establishes legal confidentiality for conversations between police officers and peer support specialists during official counseling sessions. It directly affects law enforcement officers seeking mental health support and the peer support specialists who provide it. Key provisions prohibit disclosing session details unless there's a specific threat of suicide, self-harm, violence, or child abuse - allowing limited disclosure only to prevent harm. Officers must receive written notice before sessions explaining these confidentiality rules and exceptions. The law ensures peer support communications remain private except in clearly defined safety emergencies.

Requires the timely disclosure of video footage or audio recordings related to the death of incarcerated individuals involving correction officers or peace officers to the attorney general's office of special investigations (Part A); relates to establishing comprehensive camera coverage for covered facilities and covered vehicles; repeals certain provisions of the correction law relating to requiring institutions and local correctional facilities to adhere to certain standards regarding the camera coverage of incarcerated individuals and detainees, and access to such camera recordings (Part B); clarifies standards for next of kin notifications where an incarcerated individual dies in custody (Part C); relates to the time within which the state commission of correction shall issue a report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly of the findings of a study on deaths in state correctional facilities within the state of New York (Part D); provides access to microscopic slides upon request for certain autopsies (Part E); intentionally omitted (Part F); relates to data on substantiated, unfounded, and unsubstantiated allegations received by the office of special investigations required to be collected and reported by the commissioner of corrections and community supervision (Part G); relates to the state commission of correction; provides for the manner of confirmation of such members; relates to the effectiveness of such provisions (Part H); authorizes the correctional association to visit correctional facilities with twenty-four hours advance notice and grants the correctional association access to certain records and information of correctional facilities (Part I); provides that with respect to state action brought by anyone to recover damages for physical, psychological, or other injury or condition suffered while in state custody, the time in which such action must commence shall be extended to two years after such person is released from such custody (Part J).

Relates to welfare, medical, and retirement plans provided by a horsemen's organization in the absence of contractual obligations; provides that in the absence of a contract between the licensed harness racing corporation or association and the representative horsemen's organization, the previous contract shall be automatically extended for a one-time period of twelve months commencing from the date that the previously negotiated contract expired.

Relates to the effectiveness of provisions of law relating to the department of civil service allowing municipalities to post municipal employment positions on the department of civil service's state jobs website.

This bill (A 9491) requires courts and mental health institutions to coordinate discharge planning for defendants in criminal cases terminated due to mental disease or defect. It mandates that courts order referrals to community services (when clinically appropriate and with consent) and dismiss charges upon termination, while institutions must track referrals and submit de-identified annual reports to state officials. The mental hygiene law office must publish annual public data on defendant outcomes, including admission rates, discharge planning, and referral patterns. The bill directly affects defendants in such cases, courts, mental health facilities, and state agencies, without altering eligibility for services or requiring referrals where consent is absent.

Requires the local social services districts to provide luggage to children in foster care; provides that eligible expenditures for such luggage shall be subject to state reimbursement under the foster care block grant.

Authorizes the performance of certain dental hygiene services at voluntary foster care agency health facilities by a registered hygienist operating pursuant to a collaborative agreement between such hygienist and a dentist.

Prohibits unfair residential real estate service agreements which are certain service agreements which are not to be performed within two years following the time such agreement is entered into.

This bill requires all elected or appointed coroners and coroner's deputies in New York to complete 30 hours of state-approved medical-legal investigation training every three years. They must register with the Department of Health triennially, maintain compliance records for seven years, and provide documentation upon request. Failure to meet this requirement bars them from practicing until training is completed, though exemptions exist for military service, health issues, or the first year after initial training. The individual is initially responsible for training costs (county reimbursement is optional), and the Department of Health oversees certification of approved courses.

Provides guidance to certain staff accepting registrations, issuing licenses or conducting inspections of child day care homes, programs or facilities on the identification of circumstances that may indicate the presence of controlled substances and referrals to law enforcement.

This bill requires energy services companies (ESCOs) to include clear, side-by-side price comparisons on customer bills. It mandates that each bill show the ESCO’s price for energy supply and delivery service compared to what the customer would pay if using their local utility or municipality, plus an itemized list of any extra energy products. Annual statements must also show whether the customer is saving money or paying more with the ESCO versus the local utility. These requirements apply to residential and small non-residential customers, and ESCOs must cover all compliance costs without passing them to customers.