S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4616
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 17, 2023
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Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, PAULIN, HUNTER, SEAWRIGHT, McMAHON,
BUTTENSCHON, HAWLEY, LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to authorizing a
nursing home patient to install, operate and maintain an electronic
monitoring device in his or her room
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2803-c of the public health law is
amended by adding a new paragraph s to read as follows:
S. (I) SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER, EVERY
PATIENT, OR IN THE CASE OF A PATIENT WHO LACKS CAPACITY TO CONSENT, THE
PATIENT'S LAWFUL REPRESENTATIVE, SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT, AT HIS OR HER OWN
EXPENSE, TO INSTALL, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN AN ELECTRONIC MONITORING
DEVICE IN THE PATIENT'S ROOM, PROVIDED THAT:
(A) THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING DEVICE SHALL ONLY CAPTURE PICTURE OR
VIDEO OF THE PATIENT'S PERSONAL SPACE;
(B) AUDIO CAPTURE SHALL REQUIRE WRITTEN CONSENT FROM ALL ROOMMATE
PATIENTS, OR THEIR LAWFUL REPRESENTATIVES, WHOSE PRIVACY MAY REASONABLY
BE AFFECTED; IF NO SUCH CONSENT IS RECEIVED, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING
DEVICE SHALL ONLY CAPTURE PICTURE OR SILENT VIDEO; AND
(C) A REPORT ON THE INSTALLATION OF AN ELECTRONIC MONITORING DEVICE
INCLUDING ALL REQUIRED CONSENT RECEIVED SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY THE
FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR AS PART OF THE PATIENT RECORD.
(II) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE
THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "ELECTRONIC MONITORING DEVICE" MEANS A SURVEILLANCE INSTRUMENT
WITH A VIDEO CAMERA OR AN AUDIO RECORDING DEVICE, OR A COMBINATION THER-
EOF, WHICH IS INSTALLED IN A PATIENT'S ROOM AND TRANSMITS TO A SPECIFIC
RECIPIENT OR RECORDS ACTIVITY OR SOUNDS OCCURRING IN THE ROOM; AND
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03057-02-3
A. 4616 2
(B) "PATIENT'S PERSONAL SPACE" MEANS THE SPACE IN THE THE PATIENT'S
ROOM INCLUDING AND IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE PATIENT'S BED, FURNITURE,
EQUIPMENT THE PATIENT'S EFFECTS AND POSSESSIONS, AND SHALL NOT INCLUDE
THE PERSONAL SPACE OF A ROOMMATE PATIENT.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.