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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.