This bill imposes a per-ounce tax on sugary drinks based on their sugar content: no tax for drinks with ≤7.5g sugar per 12oz, 1¢ per ounce for 7.5-30g sugar, and 2¢ per ounce for ≥30g sugar. It applies to distributors (manufacturers, wholesalers) and retailers selling these drinks, but exempts medical beverages, milk, natural fruit/vegetable juices, and water. Revenue from the tax funds a new community health equity fund. The tax rate adjusts annually for inflation, and retailers must collect it at checkout if distributors haven’t already paid it.
This bill establishes a voluntary certification program for recovery community centers that support individuals recovering from substance use disorders. It requires the state commissioner to create evidence-based regulations covering staffing, safety, participant rights, confidentiality, and coordination with other services. Certified centers will be listed on a state website as verified options, and the commissioner can inspect them, impose penalties for noncompliance, and ensure services are Medicaid-reimbursable. The program directly affects recovery centers seeking recognition and the state agency implementing oversight.
This bill sets minimum Medicaid reimbursement rates for private duty nursing services starting July 1, 2026. It requires the Department of Health (DOH) to publish a private duty nursing rate schedule at least 30 days before implementation and annually thereafter. Reimbursements must be no less than 80% of the applicable CHAMPUS/TRICARE maximum allowable charge for New York locality. The policy directly affects Medicaid enrollees receiving private duty nursing care and the home care providers delivering these services.
This bill sets educational and certification requirements for professionals providing polysomnographic technology services (sleep studies under physician supervision). It requires individuals to hold an associate degree or equivalent program in polysomnographic technology, or maintain specific existing certifications (e.g., registered polysomnographic technologist or respiratory therapist). Practitioners must pay a $300 application fee and $300 every three years for registration, with oversight under the same disciplinary rules as licensed professionals. The law directly affects healthcare providers performing sleep diagnostic services, ensuring standardized qualifications for patient safety.
Requires the commissioner of health to consult with the office of addiction services and supports and relevant stakeholders as determined by such commissioner in addition to the office of mental health to publish guidance for incorporating maternal depression screenings into routine prenatal care; changes the effective date to eighteen months.
This bill strengthens New York's Kendra's Law (assisted outpatient treatment program) by making it permanent and adding specific oversight requirements. It requires program coordinators to monitor treatment compliance, ensures timely service delivery, and mandates an educational pamphlet explaining the petition process in plain language. The law directly affects individuals court-ordered into outpatient treatment for serious mental illness, community mental health providers, and court staff handling petitions. Key changes include eliminating the program's automatic expiration and clarifying duties for directors of community services to investigate reports and coordinate care.
Establishes maximum contaminant levels in drinking water for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); sets such levels at no higher than 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and no higher than 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA).
S 264 prohibits government agencies in New York from denying employment to job applicants solely because they are recovering from a substance use disorder. It directly affects state and local government employers (including departments, schools, and correctional facilities) and job seekers in recovery. The law defines "substance use disorder" per existing mental health law and explicitly bans employment discrimination based on recovery status. This creates a clear, immediate legal standard for government hiring practices.
This bill automatically qualifies children with elevated venous blood lead levels (at or above 5 mcg/dl) for early intervention services by adding this condition to the legal definition of "disability" in public health law. It directly affects young children under three years old who are identified with lead levels meeting this threshold during medical screenings. The key mechanism amends Public Health Law to include elevated blood lead levels as a qualifying condition, eliminating the need for separate evaluations to access services. This change ensures children exposed to lead - known to cause developmental delays - receive timely support without administrative barriers.
Bill A 8477 establishes a peer-to-peer support service program specifically for women veterans. It amends the veterans' services law to mandate coordination with various state agencies, including the office of mental health and the department of labor, for the development and implementation of this program. The bill also adds the establishment of this program as a new, specific function under the veterans' services law. This initiative aims to provide targeted support services tailored to the unique experiences of women who have served in the military.
