NY State Senate Bill S6495

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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view actions (1)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 03, 2021	referred to health

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7829
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §2165, Pub Health L

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires immunization of certain post-secondary students for COVID-19.

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S6495

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the
immunization of certain post-secondary students against COVID-19

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends section 2165 of the Public Health Law
("Immunization of certain post-secondary students") to require students
attending colleges and universities in New York to demonstrate proof of
immunization against COVID-19.

Section 2 of the bill is the effective date, which takes effect thirty
days following a COVID-19 vaccine receiving standard approval by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

From the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been apparent
that despite best efforts, COVID-19 spreads quickly in high-density
communal living situations--colleges and universities being no excep-
tion. While many college students are at lower risk of severe COVID-19
infections, they can be major drivers of viral transmission. 
1

Research has confirmed the risk that the combination of dense college
dorms and unvaccinated college students can pose to both college campus-
es and surrounding communities. 
2 When large universities opened for
in-person instruction in the fall of 2020, their home counties saw a 56
percent increase in COVID-19 infections in the following three weeks,
compared to the three weeks before the start of classes. 
3

Concerningly, 29 of 30 nationwide college campuses in one study
displayed a seven-day incidence of 50 cases per 100,000, making them
what policy makers consider a "high-risk area". 
4 Those peaks of COVID
cases on college campuses occurred in between the first and second
national waves of the COVID virus, showing that the campus COVID spikes
were independent of national disease dynamics. 
5

Following eligibility expansions in numerous states allowing everyone
older than sixteen to receive COVID-19 vaccines, several colleges across
the country have announced they will require students to be vaccinated
against COVID-19 to return to college in the fall, including Rutgers
University 
6 in New Jersey, Nova Southeastern University 
7 in Florida,
and Cornell University 
8 in New York. Such vaccine requirements are not
unprecedented, section 2165 of the Public Health Law already requires
college students to be vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella as
a condition of attendance.

Considering the ease with which COVID-19 spreads on college campuses and
the risk to college communities, it is crucial that each student attend-
ing college protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19 by
getting a COVID-19 vaccine before arriving on campus. Citations:   
1
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/colleges-consider-
requiringcovid-vaccinations-students-young-adults-drive-rise-n1262094
 
2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/us/covid-colleges-nursing-
homes.html  
3
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/01/11/cdc-compares-
covid19-rates-counties-person-and-remote-classes  
4
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/01/13/college-openings- ledin-
crease-community-cases-research-says  
5 Id.   
6
https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-require-covid-19-vaccine- students
 
7 https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/vaccines/fl-ne-nsu- requir-
esstudents-staff-vaccines-20210402- vmlwvaiurjajziaiaujdgxk7qa-sto-
ry.html  
8
https://nypost.com/2021/04/03/cornell-university-mandates-covid-19-
vaccines-for-students/

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None, new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect thirty days following the date of the issu-
ance of a biologics license for an immunizing agent against COVID-19 by
the United States Food and Drug Administration provided that the
provisions contained in this act are in accordance with recommendations
issued by the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immuni-
zation Practices. The commissioner of health shall notify the legisla-
tive bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of such approval in
order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective
data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in
furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legisla-
tive law and section 70-b of the public officers law. Effective imme-
diately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6495
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  requiring  the
   immunization of certain post-secondary students against COVID-19
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 13 of section 2165 of the public health law  is
 renumbered  subdivision 12 and subdivision 1, as added by chapter 405 of
 the laws of 1989, paragraph b as amended by chapter 325 of the  laws  of
 1991, is amended to read as follows:
   1. As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise:
   a. The term "institution" means a college as defined in section two of
 the education law.
   b. The term "student" means any person born on or after January first,
 nineteen  hundred  fifty-seven,  who  is registered to attend or attends
 classes at an institution, whether full-time  or  part-time.  "Part-time
 student"  shall mean a student who is enrolled for at least six but less
 than twelve semester hours, or the equivalent per semester or  at  least
 four but less than eight semester hours per quarter at an institution.
   c.  The  term "health practitioner" means any person authorized by law
 to administer an immunization.
   d. The term "immunization" means an  adequate  dose  or  doses  of  an
 immunizing  agent  against  measles,  mumps [and], rubella AND THE NOVEL
 CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) which meets the standards approved by the  United
 States  public health service for such biological products, and which is
 approved by the state department of health under such conditions as  may
 be specified by the public health council.
   §  2. This act shall take effect thirty days following the date of the
 issuance of a biologics license for an immunizing agent against COVID-19
 by the United States Food and  Drug  Administration  provided  that  the
 provisions  contained in this act are in accordance with recommendations
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD10822-04-1

 S. 6495                             2
 
 issued by the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on  Immuni-
 zation  Practices.  The commissioner of health shall notify the legisla-
 tive bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of  such  approval  in
 order  that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective
 data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New  York  in
 furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legisla-
 tive  law  and  section 70-b of the public officers law. Effective imme-
 diately the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or  regulation
 necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S6495

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

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S6495 (ACTIVE) - Details

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S6495

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Sponsored By

Brad Hoylman

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Your Voice

Actions

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Details

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6495 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments