Senate Bill S1583A

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 1583--A

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 9, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens.  PARKER,  LATIMER, MONTGOMERY, SAMPSON, TKACZYK --
  read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to
  the  Committee  on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in
  accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --  committee  discharged,  bill
  amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
  tee

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to hospital  domestic
  violence policies and procedures

  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
2805-x to read as follows:
  S  2805-X.  HOSPITAL  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.  1.
EVERY GENERAL HOSPITAL SHALL:  (A)  DEVELOP,  MAINTAIN  AND  DISSEMINATE
WRITTEN  POLICIES  AND  PROCEDURES  FOR  THE IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT,
TREATMENT AND REFERRAL OF  CONFIRMED  OR  SUSPECTED  CASES  OF  DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE;  (B)  ESTABLISH, AND IMPLEMENT ON AN ONGOING BASIS, A TRAINING
PROGRAM FOR ALL CURRENT AND NEW EMPLOYEES  REGARDING  THE  POLICIES  AND
PROCEDURES  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION; (C) DESIGNATE A STAFF
MEMBER TO COORDINATE SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;  AND  (D)
CONTACT  THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR VICTIM ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATION PROVID-
ING VICTIM ASSISTANCE TO THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA SERVED BY SUCH HOSPITAL  TO
ESTABLISH THE COORDINATION OF SERVICES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS.
  2.  UPON  ADMITTANCE  OR  COMMENCEMENT  OF TREATMENT OF A CONFIRMED OR
SUSPECTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE  VICTIM,  SUCH  HOSPITAL  SHALL  ADVISE  THE
VICTIM  OF  THE  AVAILABILITY  OF  THE SERVICES OF A BATTERED WOMEN'S OR
VICTIM ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATION.  IF  AFTER  RECEIVING  SUCH  ADVICE  THE
DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  VICTIM WISHES THE PRESENCE OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR
VICTIM ASSISTANCE ADVOCATE, SUCH HOSPITAL SHALL CONTACT THE  APPROPRIATE
ORGANIZATION AND REQUEST THAT ONE BE PROVIDED.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD02859-04-4

S. 1583--A                          2

  3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY
BE  NECESSARY AND PROPER TO CARRY OUT EFFECTIVELY THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION.  PRIOR TO PROMULGATING SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS, THE  COMMIS-
SIONER  SHALL  CONSULT  WITH  THE  OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND OTHER SUCH PERSONS AS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY.
  S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2015.  Effective immediate-
ly,  the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations
necessary for the implementation of the foregoing section of this act on
its effective date is authorized and directed to be made  and  completed
on or before such effective date.