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Senate Bill S9221

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants test strip program

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Current Bill Status Via A9001 - Passed Senate

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2025-S9221 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A9001
Law Section:
Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:
Add §19.47, Ment Hyg L

2025-S9221 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2025-S9221 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9221 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9221
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 17, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. C. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism  and  Substance
   Use Disorders
 
 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.
   3.  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SHALL DEVELOP AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC  AWARENESS  AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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