Establishes the office of global public health and international cooperation within the department of health to coordinate cooperation with international public health institutions for purposes related to public health; requires such office to submit an annual global health risk and preparedness report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the chairs of the senate and assembly health committees.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10209
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 12, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZINERMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
office of global public health and international cooperation within
the department of health
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature hereby
finds and declares that:
1. New York state is a global center of travel, commerce, diplomacy,
education, and migration, and as such is uniquely vulnerable to the
rapid importation and transmission of emerging infectious diseases and
other global public health threats; and
2. Recent global public health emergencies have demonstrated that
early detection, rapid information sharing, and coordinated interna-
tional scientific collaboration are essential components of effective
disease prevention, preparedness, and response; and
3. Technical cooperation, data exchange, and research collaboration
between public health authorities, academic institutions, and interna-
tional health organizations significantly enhance disease surveillance,
workforce training, and emergency preparedness capabilities; and
4. Federal disengagement from international public health institutions
weakens global disease surveillance networks and increases the risk of
delayed detection and response, thereby heightening public health risks
for states with high volumes of international travel and commerce; and
5. It is therefore in the interest of the people of the state of New
York to establish a permanent state-level infrastructure within the
department of health to coordinate lawful, non-binding, technical coop-
eration with international public health institutions and research part-
ners in order to strengthen disease surveillance, public health
preparedness, scientific exchange, and emergency response capacity.
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 206-c to
read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14760-01-6
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