S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6987--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               April 3, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
   as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  requiring  the
   department  of  health  of the state of New York to conduct a study of
   the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on infant  mortality  and
   prepare and submit a report to the governor and the legislature
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 2500-l to read as follows:
   §  2500-L.  STUDY  OF  THE EFFECTS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES ON
 INFANT MORTALITY. 1.   THE DEPARTMENT  SHALL  CONDUCT  A  STUDY  ON  THE
 EFFECTS  OF  RACIAL  AND  ETHNIC  DISPARITIES  ON  INFANT MORTALITY. THE
 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY SHALL BE TO:
   (A) IDENTIFY  STATEWIDE  AND  REGIONAL  INFANT  DEATH  RATES,  TRENDS,
 PATTERNS,  AND  RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN ADVERSE BIRTH OUTCOMES,
 AND MEDICAL, NON-MEDICAL,  AND  SYSTEM-RELATED  FACTORS  THAT  MAY  HAVE
 CONTRIBUTED TO INFANT DEATHS AND TREATMENT DISPARITIES;
   (B) REVIEW THE EXTENT TO WHICH RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN INFANT
 MORTALITY  IN  A GEOGRAPHIC AREA INDICATE THE NEED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO
 HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THAT AREA; AND
   (C) IDENTIFY WAYS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES
 THAT CONTRIBUTE TO INFANT MORTALITY.
   2. IN CONDUCTING THE STUDY, THE DEPARTMENT  MAY  SEEK  THE  ADVICE  OF
 PERSONS SPECIALIZING IN THE FIELDS OF NEONATAL AND POST NEONATAL PATHOL-
 OGY,  MATERNAL  AND  INFANT  HEALTH,  MINORITY HEALTH ADVOCACY, OR OTHER
 RELATED FIELDS.
   3. WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL PREPARE AND SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRES-
 IDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE MINORITY LEADER OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10112-02-9

 A. 6987--A                          2
 
 THE  SENATE  AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY A REPORT CONTAINING
 THE STUDY'S FINDINGS CONCERNING THE EFFECTS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPAR-
 ITIES ON INFANT MORTALITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE  OR  OTHER
 ACTIONS THAT CAN BE UNDERTAKEN TO:
   (A) REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY AND IMPROVE BIRTH OUTCOMES IN THE STATE;
   (B)  REDUCE OR ELIMINATE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE
 TO INFANT MORTALITY; AND
   (C) INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE STATE.
   4. THE DEPARTMENT MAY PREPARE AND SUBMIT ADDITIONAL REPORTS  WHEN  THE
 DEPARTMENT  DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE, AND EACH REPORT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
 THE FIRST REPORT PREPARED UNDER THIS SECTION, SHALL ADDITIONALLY IDENTI-
 FY THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE DEPARTMENT'S PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE  BEEN
 SUCCESSFULLY  IMPLEMENTED  IN  PRACTICE AND THE APPARENT IMPACT THAT THE
 IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH RECOMMENDED CHANGES HAS HAD ON  INFANT  MORTALITY
 IN THE PRECEDING YEARS.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amendment  and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such date.