Enacts the "Shepherd Patterson notification act"; requires a physician who treats a minor patient with a medical condition that may cause a disability to provide certain educational information to such patient's parents or guardians indicating such minor is entitled to a free and appropriate public education as defined under section five hundred four of the federal rehabilitation act of nineteen hundred seventy-three; makes related provisions.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10421
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 4, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LEVENBERG -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring a physi-
cian who treats a minor patient with a medical condition to provide
certain educational information to such patient's parents or guardians
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Shepherd
Patterson notification act of 2026".
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2500-n
to read as follows:
§ 2500-N. INFORMATION ON EDUCATION ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A MINOR PATIENT
WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT MAY CAUSE A DISABILITY. 1. ON OR BEFORE
JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SHALL DEVELOP AN INFORMATIONAL ELEC-
TRONIC NOTICE AND RESOURCE FOR PRACTITIONERS TO PROVIDE TO THE PARENTS
OR GUARDIANS OF A PATIENT UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN WITH A MEDICAL
CONDITION THAT MAY CREATE A DISABILITY FOR THE PATIENT AS DEFINED UNDER
SECTION FIVE HUNDRED FOUR OF THE FEDERAL REHABILITATION ACT OF NINETEEN
HUNDRED SEVENTY-THREE. SUCH ELECTRONIC NOTICE SHALL INDICATE THAT SUCH
MINOR MAY BE ENTITLED TO A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION AS
DEFINED UNDER SECTION FIVE HUNDRED FOUR OF THE FEDERAL REHABILITATION
ACT OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-THREE, AS AMENDED, WHICH MAY INCLUDE
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR ELIGIBLE
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. SUCH WRITTEN INFORMATION SHALL ALSO STATE
THAT THE PARENT, GUARDIAN, OR PERSON IN A PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
PATIENT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR SCHOOL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE ACCOMMODATIONS
FOR THE PATIENT AND THE BENEFITS OF SHARING POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING
EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT SUCH ELECTRONIC NOTICE IS MADE
AVAILABLE THROUGH A SECURE ELECTRONIC PORTAL AND IS PROVIDED TO THE
PARENT OR GUARDIAN AT THE TIME OF PATIENT CONSENT FOR TREATMENT OR DIAG-
NOSIS. PROOF OF ACCESS OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT THROUGH THE PORTAL SHALL SATIS-
FY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
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