S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7170--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 3, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  SERINO,  HANNON, AMEDORE, AVELLA, BONACIC, CROCI,
   HELMING, JACOBS, LARKIN, LITTLE, MARCHIONE, O'MARA, PHILLIPS,  RANZEN-
   HOFER,  RITCHIE,  SAVINO,  SEWARD,  TEDISCO, VALESKY -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Finance  --  committee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to  establishing  a  Lyme
   and tick-borne diseases working group
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new  article  45-B
 to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 45-B
                LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES WORKING GROUP
 SECTION 958. LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES WORKING GROUP.
   §  958. LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES WORKING GROUP. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
 CREATED IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT A LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES WORK-
 ING GROUP CONSISTING OF THE:
   (A) COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH;
   (B) COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH;
   (C) COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION;
   (D) SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, WHO SHALL SERVE  EX  OFFICIO
 AND WHO MAY DESIGNATE REPRESENTATIVES TO ACT ON THEIR BEHALF; AND
   (E) SIX ADDITIONAL MEMBERS TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
   2.  THE GOVERNOR SHALL ALSO APPOINT EIGHT MEMBERS TO THE WORKING GROUP
 ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AS FOLLOWS:
   (A) THE TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE  SHALL  RECOMMEND  THREE
 MEMBERS;
   (B) THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY SHALL RECOMMEND THREE MEMBERS;
   (C) THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE SHALL RECOMMEND ONE MEMBER; AND
   (D) THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY SHALL RECOMMEND ONE MEMBER.
   3.  MEMBERS  APPOINTED  TO THE WORKING GROUP SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO, AT LEAST ONE OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING,  EACH  OF  WHOM  MUST
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13892-05-8

 S. 7170--A                          2
 
 HAVE  EXPERIENCE  WORKING  WITH  ISSUES  RELATED  TO LYME AND TICK-BORNE
 DISEASES:
   (A) AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST;
   (B) A GENERAL PRACTITIONER;
   (C) A MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER;
   (D) AN ENTOMOLOGIST;
   (E) AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST;
   (F) A REPRESENTATIVE OF HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDERS; AND
   (G) A REPRESENTATIVE OF A TICK-BORNE DISEASE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH SHALL SERVE, EX OFFICIO, AS THE CHAIR OF
 THE  WORKING  GROUP,  AND THE GOVERNOR SHALL DESIGNATE THE VICE CHAIR OF
 THE WORKING GROUP. IN APPOINTING MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP,  APPOINT-
 ING  AUTHORITIES  SHALL  ENSURE THAT SUCH MEMBERS, AS A GROUP, REPRESENT
 DIVERSE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVES RELEVANT TO THE DUTIES  OF  THE  WORKING
 GROUP. THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, EXCEPT THOSE WHO SERVE EX OFFI-
 CIO,  SHALL  BE  ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN
 THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES UNDER THIS ARTICLE BUT SHALL RECEIVE  NO
 ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RENDERED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   5.  THE WORKING GROUP, ON CALL OF THE CHAIR, SHALL MEET AT LEAST TWICE
 EACH YEAR AND AT SUCH OTHER TIMES AS MAY BE NECESSARY. THE WORKING GROUP
 MAY ESTABLISH QUORUM REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER RULES AND PROCEDURES REGARD-
 ING CONDUCT OF ITS MEETINGS AND OTHER AFFAIRS.
   6. THE WORKING GROUP SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING POWERS AND  RESPONSIBIL-
 ITIES:
   (A)  REVIEW  CURRENT  BEST  PRACTICES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND
 PREVENTION OF LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES, AS WELL AS  ANY  REPORTS  OR
 RECOMMENDATIONS  FROM  THE  TWENTY-FIRST  CENTURY  WORKGROUP FOR DISEASE
 ELIMINATION AND REDUCTION, PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX  OF
 THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW;
   (B) PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I)  IMPROVEMENTS  TO  THE DELIVERY OF CARE FOR PATIENTS AND SUSPECTED
 PATIENTS OF LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM ENDEM-
 IC AREAS OF THE STATE;
   (II) COLLABORATIONS AMONG COUNTY  DEPARTMENTS  OF  HEALTH  TO  PROMOTE
 EFFECTIVE  STRATEGIES  TO COMBAT LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES, INCLUDING
 BEST PRACTICES FOR PREVENTION AND REPORTING;
   (III) INTERAGENCY COLLABORATIONS TO STREAMLINE STATE EFFORTS TO COMBAT
 THE SPREAD OF LYME AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES;
   (IV) IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERN-
 MENT, NON-PROFIT ENTITIES, OR PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS ON PROJECTS ADDRESS-
 ING THESE DISEASES;
   (V) DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF LYME AND  TICK-BORNE
 DISEASE,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THOSE FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS;
 AND
   (VI) ANY OTHER REGULATIONS OR GUIDELINES  CONCERNING  LYME  AND  TICK-
 BORNE DISEASES; AND
   (C)  PREPARE  AND  ISSUE  A REPORT ON THE WORKING GROUP'S FINDINGS AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN TO THE GOVERNOR, THE
 TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY.
   7. IF ANY APPOINTMENTS TO THE WORKING GROUP  ARE  NOT  MADE  BY  APRIL
 FIFTEENTH,  TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN, THEN THE WORKING GROUP MAY PROCEED TO
 MEET AND FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES, PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPHS  TWO  AND
 THREE OF THIS SECTION, WITHOUT SUCH APPOINTEES.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.