File #: Int 0628-2024    Version: Name: Signage regarding patient rights and hospital services for transgender individuals.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 3/7/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to signage regarding patient rights and hospital services for transgender individuals
Sponsors: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Julie Won, Shahana K. Hanif, Erik D. Bottcher, Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Alexa Avilés, Amanda Farías, Carlina Rivera , Farah N. Louis, Lynn C. Schulman, Tiffany Cabán, Rita C. Joseph, Gale A. Brewer, Carmen N. De La Rosa
Council Member Sponsors: 15
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to design signs describing the rights of transgender patients, and to make such signs available to hospitals in the City. Such signs would include information on an individual’s right to be referred to by their preferred name, title, gender, and pronoun. This bill would also require DOHMH to coordinate with hospitals to identify the services offered by any such hospitals to meet the specific needs of transgender individuals, including gender-affirming health care, and would require DOHMH to provide guidance encouraging hospitals to post in a conspicuous location a list of any such services offered. DOHMH would also be required to post lists of such services and any updates on its website and on the 311 website.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 628-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 628, 3. Int. No. 628, 4. March 7, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 3-7-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - March 7, 2024, 7. Committee Report 6/26/25, 8. Hearing Testimony 6/26/25, 9. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 10. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 11. Proposed Int. No. 628-A - 8/8/25, 12. Committee Report 8/14/25, 13. Int. No. 628-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 14. Int. No. 628-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 15. August 14, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
8/14/2025APublic Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
8/14/2025*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
8/14/2025*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
8/14/2025*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
8/14/2025APublic Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/26/2025*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/26/2025*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Committee on Health Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/7/2024*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
3/7/2024*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 628-A

 

By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Restler, Hudson, Avilés, Farías, Rivera, Louis, Schulman, Cabán, Joseph, Brewer and De La Rosa

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to signage regarding patient rights and hospital services for transgender individuals

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-167.2 to read as follows:

§ 17-167.2 Signage regarding patient rights and hospital services for transgender individuals.

a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Gender-affirming health care. The term “gender-affirming health care” has the same meaning as the term “gender-affirming care” as set forth in paragraph 2 of subdivision a of section 10-184.1.

Hospital. The term “hospital” has the same meaning as the term “general hospital” as defined in subdivision 10 of section 2801 of the public health law.

Transgender. The term “transgender” means a person whose gender identity does not conform to the sex assigned at birth.

b. Transgender patient rights. The department shall design signs describing the rights of transgender patients and make such signs available to hospitals in the city. Such signs shall include, but need not be limited to, information on an individual’s right to be referred to by their preferred name, title, gender, and pronoun. The department shall post information about the rights of transgender patients on its website and make such information available in the designated citywide languages as defined in section 23-1101.

c. Transgender-specific services offered. To the extent practicable, the department shall:

1. Coordinate with hospitals in the city to identify the services offered by each hospital to meet the specific needs of transgender individuals, including, but not limited to, gender-affirming health care;

2. Provide guidance to hospitals in the city encouraging such hospitals to post in a conspicuous location a list of any such services offered;

3. Coordinate with hospitals in the city to update the lists of such services offered by each hospital, as needed; and

4. Publish such guidance and such lists of services on the department’s website and on the 311 citizen center website. Such guidance shall be published in the designated citywide languages as defined in section 23-1101.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

CP/JEF

LS #5000

8/6/2025 3:24 PM