Directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services to establish a program for individuals to receive free drug test strips to detect the presence of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants; directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, in cooperation with the commissioner of the department of health, to develop and conduct a public awareness and educational campaign on the dangers of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9001
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
August 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contam-
inants test strip program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
19.47 to read as follows:
§ 19.47 MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES, AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL
CONTAMINANTS TEST STRIP PROGRAM.
1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS MAY
RECEIVE, FREE OF CHARGE, DRUG TEST STRIPS TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF
CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES, AND/OR
OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS. THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES MAY APPLY TO
DISTRIBUTE SUCH TEST STRIPS FOR MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES,
AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS:
(A) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS;
(B) ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITIES;
(C) FACILITIES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAMS;
(D) HOMELESS SHELTERS;
(E) URGENT CARE CENTERS;
(F) MOBILE MEDICATION UNITS;
(G) TREATMENT FACILITIES AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH FIVE OF SUBDIVISION
(A) OF SECTION 22.09 OF THIS TITLE; AND
(H) ANY OTHER SETTING, AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE, WHICH IS ROUTINELY
ACCESSED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
2. INDIVIDUALS SHALL NOT BE TARGETED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY ARE
OBTAINING TEST STRIPS FOR MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES,
AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS AT THE FACILITIES PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13552-02-5
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