S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10284
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 13, 2022
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Cruz) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in
relation to requiring the New York city department of corrections and
the New York city health and hospitals corporation to adopt safety
policies and training to protect health care workers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended
by adding a new section 9-162 to read as follows:
§ 9-162 HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY POLICY; REPORTS. A. DEFINITIONS. AS
USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEAN-
INGS:
1. "CORRECTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES" MEANS THE DIVISION OF THE NEW YORK
CITY HEALTH AND HOSPITALS CORPORATION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELIVERY OF
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN THE
CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT, AND ANY OTHER HEALTH CARE ENTITY DESIGNATED
BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK AS THE AGENCY OR AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR HEALTH
SERVICES FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CARE AND CUSTODY OF THE
DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING AN OUTSIDE PROVIDER SHARING SUCH RESPONSIBILITIES.
2. "HEALTH CARE WORKER" MEANS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYED BY
CORRECTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES OR ANOTHER ENTITY DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH
ONE OF THIS SUBDIVISION WHO REGULARLY PROVIDES HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
3. "HOSPITALS CORPORATION" OR "CORPORATION" MEANS THE NEW YORK CITY
HEALTH AND HOSPITALS CORPORATION.
4. "SPECIAL OFFICER" MEANS A PEACE OFFICER APPOINTED PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION FORTY OF SECTION 2.10 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW AND
EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR THE NEW YORK CITY HEALTH AND HOSPI-
TALS CORPORATION TO PERFORM THE PATROL, INVESTIGATION, AND MAINTENANCE
OF THE PEACE DUTIES OF SPECIAL OFFICER, SENIOR SPECIAL OFFICER AND
HOSPITAL SECURITY OFFICER.
B. HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY POLICY. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN COLLAB-
ORATION WITH CORRECTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14128-02-1
A. 10284 2
JOINT HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY POLICY TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE WORKERS
FROM ASSAULT AND OTHER VIOLENT INCIDENTS DURING THE PROVISION OF
SERVICES TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. SUCH POLICY SHALL ESTABLISH A
MINIMUM STANDARD OF CARE FOR HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY WHICH SHALL, AT
MINIMUM:
2. REQUIRE YEARLY TRAINING FOR ALL UNIFORMED STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND ALL SPECIAL OFFICERS AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH FOUR OF SUBDIVISION A
OF THIS SECTION REGARDING MINIMUM STANDARDS NECESSARY TO SECURE AN
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL IN THE PRESENCE OF A HEALTH CARE WORKER.
3. ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS FOR REQUIRING UNIFORMED STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND ALL SPECIAL OFFICERS TO INFORM ALL HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO WILL OR
ARE LIKELY TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL WITH A
HISTORY OF VIOLENT OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR WHENEVER SUCH INDIVIDUAL IS
ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL OR OTHER MEDICAL FACILITY.
C. REPORTING. 1. NO LATER THAN NINETY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THIS SECTION, AND EVERY SIX MONTHS THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT AND
CORRECTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES SHALL PUBLISH A JOINT REPORT ON THE HEALTH
CARE WORKER SAFETY POLICY, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO A
REVIEW OF ANY NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED OR AMENDED PURSUANT
THERETO, AND AN EVALUATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY AT EACH CORREC-
TIONAL FACILITY AND ANY MEDICAL FACILITY SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS CHAPTER.
2. NO LATER THAN NINE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION
AND ANNUALLY, THE DEPARTMENT AND CORRECTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES SHALL
PREPARE AND SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. SUCH REPORT SHALL
INCLUDE A COPY OF EVERY JOINT REPORT PUBLISHED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH TWO
OF THIS SUBDIVISION DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE ON WHICH
THE REPORT REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH IS DUE AND ANY RELATED
MATERIALS, TOGETHER WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR PROPOSALS RELATING TO
HEALTH CARE WORKER SAFETY. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE AN ANALYSIS OF
WHETHER CERTAIN PUNITIVE MEASURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE
IMPOSITION OF A HIGHER MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT FOR ASSAULT ON A
HEALTH CARE WORKER BY AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL, AND/OR PROVISIONS FOR
THE EXTENSION OF SUCH AN INDIVIDUAL'S CURRENT SENTENCE SHOULD BE CONSID-
ERED BY THE LEGISLATURE AS A DETERRENT TO SUCH ASSAULTS.
D. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, THE CORPORATION, OR
BOTH SUCH DEPARTMENT AND CORPORATION SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES TO ANY
HEALTH CARE WORKER WHO SUFFERS INJURIES AS A RESULT OF ANY FAILURE TO
ENFORCE OR COMPLY WITH MINIMUM STANDARDS OF CARE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
SUBDIVISION B OF THIS SECTION.
2. A HEALTH CARE WORKER AGGRIEVED BY A VIOLATION OF PARAGRAPH ONE OF
THIS SUBDIVISION AND SUBDIVISION B OF THIS SECTION SHALL HAVE A CAUSE OF
ACTION IN ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT,
THE CORPORATION OR BOTH SUCH DEPARTMENT AND CORPORATION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.