Enacts "Melanie's law"; relates to orders of protection; allows courts to issue orders of protection for immediate family members or household members of the named victims, regardless of age.
Directs the commissioner of health to establish a cannabis awareness program for youths age eighteen and younger designed to educate about the effects and risks associated with cannabis use, including that it is illegal for persons under the age of twenty-one.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows hospice medical directors or physicians they designate to sign death certificates for patients under their care. Currently, the law requires the physician or nurse practitioner last in attendance to sign the certificate, but this change expands that authority to include hospice directors. The update applies immediately to streamline the process for families and healthcare providers when a patient passes away while receiving hospice services.
Establishes the rare disease advisory council to identify best practices, raise awareness regarding rare diseases, evaluate barriers to access to care, and to make recommendations to the legislature and the governor.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Syd O. Sotillo Sickle Cell Treatment Act to establish designated centers for sickle cell care excellence and outpatient treatment across the state. It designates five hospitals or hospices as centers of excellence that will provide specialized care, conduct research, and receive $200,000 annually, while also designating ten other hospitals as outpatient treatment centers that will receive $100,000 each. Additionally, the legislation modifies opioid prescribing rules to explicitly exempt patients with active sickle cell disease from restrictions that limit long-term pain medication use. These changes aim to improve access to specialized care and ensure that sickle cell patients can access necessary pain management without facing standard opioid limitations.
Prohibits the use of the term "excited delirium" as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death on death certificates, autopsy reports, police reports or any report, policy or procedure by a public agency or contractor; defines excited delirium.
Directs the department of state and the public service commission to study and report upon the prevalence of the disclosure by public utilities, cable television companies and cellular telephone service providers to credit reporting agencies of late payments and defaults in payment of fees and charges by consumers.
Provides that the thruway authority shall issue permits for ambulances and fire vehicles exempting such vehicles from paying tolls on the thruway when engaged in an emergency operation.
Conforms the definition of an incarcerated individual with a serious mental illness to the definition of "person with a serious mental illness" in the mental hygiene law.
Establishes standards for the closure of bank accounts in the state of New York to include providing notice of closure and the return of funds to account owners.
