Relates to permitting an interpreter to remain with a deaf, hard of hearing or nonverbal patient during admission to a hospital, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3404--A
                                                          Cal. No. 39
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE, SAYEGH, BURDICK, STECK, LUNSFORD, CONRAD,
   SHIMSKY,  HEVESI,  TAPIA,  GANDOLFO,  SANTABARBARA, SEAWRIGHT, KASSAY,
   GRIFFIN -- read once and  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Health  --
   reported  from  committee,  advanced  to  a third reading, amended and
   ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to treatment of deaf,
   hard of hearing and nonverbal individuals during admission to a hospi-
   tal
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Section 2805-r of the public health law, as added by chap-
 ter 451 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   § 2805-r. Patients unable to HEAR  OR  verbally  communicate.  1.  The
 department  shall  make  regulations concerning the treatment of general
 hospital patients who are unable to HEAR OR  verbally  communicate,  for
 whatever reason, with a health care practitioner or aide.
   2.  Such  regulations  shall  establish  standards for a DEAF, HARD OF
 HEARING OR NONVERBAL patient to have present during [his or  her]  THEIR
 period  of  admission a parent, guardian, representative, INTERPRETER or
 authorized helper to  assist  in  the  communication  with  health  care
 personnel. SUCH PERSON SHALL BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN WITH THE PATIENT FOR
 INTERPRETATION UNTIL A HOSPITAL-PROVIDED QUALIFIED INTERPRETER, OR OTHER
 QUALIFIED PERSON IS ASSIGNED TO THE PATIENT.
   3.  The standards established under this section shall be incorporated
 into the statement of rights and responsibilities  adopted  pursuant  to
 paragraph  (g)  of subdivision one of section twenty-eight hundred three
 of this article.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05040-02-5