S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7651
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to requiring the commissioner
   of labor to develop instructional tools and materials  for  industries
   at high-risk for occupational tick exposures
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 21 of the labor law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 17 to read as follows:
   17.  THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH
 AND  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  SHALL  DEVELOP
 INSTRUCTIONAL  TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRIES AT HIGH-RISK FOR OCCU-
 PATIONAL TICK EXPOSURES INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  AGRICULTURE,
 LANDSCAPING,  AND  FORESTRY,  TO  ASSIST  IN THE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS
 PROGRAM TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES FROM LYME DISEASE AND TICK-BORNE INFECTIONS
 ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION SIXTEEN-B OF THE AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
 LAW, AND FOR FIRST RESPONDERS,  ROAD  CREWS,  AND  UTILITY  CREWS.  SUCH
 INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE IDEN-
 TIFICATION OF TICKS, BEST PRACTICES TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM TICKS AND
 RECOMMENDED  PROCEDURES  FOR SAFE TICK REMOVAL. SUCH INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS
 AND  MATERIALS  MAY  INCLUDE,  BUT  NEED  NOT  BE  LIMITED   TO,   VIDEO
 PRODUCTIONS,  PAMPHLETS,  AND  DEMONSTRATION  PROGRAMS TO ILLUSTRATE THE
 VARIOUS SIZES OF TICKS BEFORE AND AFTER THEY  HAVE  ENGORGED  TO  ASSIST
 WITH  THE  IDENTIFICATION  OF  TICKS AND THE REACTION ON THE SKIN, FOR A
 VARIETY OF SKIN TONES, THAT MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF A  TICK  BITE,  AND
 PROTECTION  AGAINST  TICK  BITES. SUCH INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS
 SHALL BE MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  HIGH-RISK  EMPLOYERS  AND  EMPLOYEES  UPON
 REQUEST AT NO CHARGE AND SHALL BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED ANNUALLY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11580-03-5