S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6581
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 19, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, CONRAD, WOERNER, THIELE, GRIFFIN,
STERN, BURDICK, SEAWRIGHT, ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Health
AN ACT directing the department of health develop a prioritized COVID-19
appointment process for individuals seventy-five years of age and
older
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. (a) For purposes of this act:
(1) "centralized manner" shall mean a process, established by the New
York state Department of Health ("the Department"), by which individuals
can register their information with either the state, county or city
health department or other state or local government entity;
(2) "prioritized appointment process" shall mean a process by which
the Department seeks to increase the percent vaccinated of a cohort of
individuals by ensuring, to the greatest extent possible, that a certain
number or percentage of vaccine appointments are available on an ongoing
basis to such cohort, within the overall vaccine distribution system of
the state; and
(3) "vaccine administration entity" shall mean any public or private
organization that is approved to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Department is
hereby directed to develop a prioritized appointment process for indi-
viduals seventy-five years of age and older who qualified for early
phases of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution but were unable to make an
appointment. The Department shall provide eligible individuals with the
opportunity to schedule an appointment in a centralized manner, either
online or by phone. After registration, these individuals shall be
assigned an appointment opportunity, to the greatest extent practicable,
at a vaccine administration entity. The Department may direct, or may
cause to be directed by a local government, any vaccine administration
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09921-01-1
A. 6581 2
entities to allocate a number or percentage of their vaccine allotment,
at appropriate dates and times, to provide appointment slots for these
individuals. The Department shall report to the legislature, no later
than thirty days after the effective date of this act, and every thirty
days thereafter, on the number of vaccines administered to individuals
seventy-five years of age and older and the approximate number of eligi-
ble individuals remaining to be vaccinated. The Commissioner of Health
may, thirty days after the effective date of this act, identify an addi-
tional cohort, or cohorts, of individuals who are eligible for the
vaccine but in the interest of public health, have not acquired a vacci-
nation percentage appropriate given the supply available and the time
elapsed since first eligible. The Commissioner of Health may issue an
order, consistent with the provisions of this act, to develop a prior-
itized appointment process for this cohort, or cohorts, of individuals.
In evaluating the inclusion of a cohort, or cohorts, in an order, the
Commissioner of Health, to the greatest extent practicable, shall follow
the New York State vaccine distribution phases previously established.
ยง 2. This act shall take effect immediately.