Assembly Bill A9226

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9226
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 3, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health  law,  in  relation  to  enacting  the
   "refuting false knowledge act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "refuting false knowledge act".
   §  2.  The  public health law is amended by adding a new section 25 to
 read as follows:
   § 25. MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE. 1.  THERE  IS  HEREBY  ESTAB-
 LISHED  WITHIN  THE  DEPARTMENT  A  MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE TO
 COMBAT MEDICAL MISINFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
   2. (A) THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF  FIFTEEN
 MEMBERS  TO  BE  APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY,
 AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND SUCH MEMBERS SHALL  SERVE
 FOR TERMS OF FOUR YEARS.
   (B) MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL HAVE:
   (I) DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP AT THE NATIONAL AND/OR STATE LEVEL IN:
   (1)  THE  CRITICAL  EVALUATION  OF RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN PEER REVIEWED
 LITERATURE AND IN THE METHODS OF EVIDENCE REVIEW;
   (2) CLINICAL PREVENTION, HEALTH PROMOTION  AND  PRIMARY  HEALTH  CARE;
 AND/OR
   (3) IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS IN CLINICAL PRAC-
 TICE,  INCLUDING  AT  THE  CLINICIAN-PATIENT  LEVEL, PRACTICE LEVEL, AND
 HEALTH SYSTEM LEVEL; AND
   (II) EXPERTISE IN:
   (1) HEALTH EQUITY;
   (2) COMMUNICATION IN PROVIDING FINDINGS TO MULTIPLE AUDIENCES;
   (3) DECISION MODELING;
   (4) APPLICATION OF SCIENCE TO HEALTH POLICY; AND

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13828-03-5
              

 A. 9226                             2
 
   (5) CRISIS MANAGEMENT.
   (C) ORGANIZATIONS MAY MAKE NOMINATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF
 THE  ASSEMBLY, AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE FOR INDIVIDUALS
 TO BE APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE. ALL
 SUCH NOMINATIONS SHALL INCLUDE:
   (I) THE NOMINEE'S RESUME;
   (II) THE NOMINEE'S ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION;
   (III) A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE NOMINEE MEETS  THE  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR
 MEMBERS  OF  THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE AS ENUMERATED IN THIS
 SUBDIVISION; AND
   (IV) A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE NOMINEE WOULD  CONTRIBUTE  TO  THE  TASK
 FORCE.
   (D) ALL APPOINTEES TO THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL FILL
 OUT  A  CONFLICT  OF  INTEREST DISCLOSURE TO ELIMINATE POTENTIAL PROFES-
 SIONAL OR FINANCIAL CONFLICTS.
   3. THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL CREATE AND ISSUE GUIDE-
 LINES ON WAYS TO COMMUNICATE MEDICAL INFORMATION TO STATE  AGENCIES  AND
 THE PUBLIC WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE CREATION OF THE MEDICAL MISINFORMA-
 TION TASK FORCE.
   4.  THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL COORDINATE PLANNED AND
 RAPID RESPONSE MEDICAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CAMPAIGNS TO THE PUBLIC AND  TO
 STATE  AND  LOCAL  AGENCIES,  ORGANIZATIONS,  HOSPITALS, AND CLINICS, IN
 RESPONSE TO MEDICAL MISINFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
   5. THE MEDICAL MISINFORMATION TASK FORCE SHALL AID IN THE CREATION AND
 DISSEMINATION OF MEDICAL LITERACY INFORMATION INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO, PAMPHLETS AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES, THAT  CONFORM
 TO STATE HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT TOPICS INCLUDING VACCINE EFFICACY,
 BIRTH CONTROL, ABORTION CARE, FERTILITY TREATMENTS, PREGNANCY, AND OTHER
 MEDICAL INFORMATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.