File #: Int 0426-2022    Version: * Name: Visitation policy guidelines for hospitals during public health emergencies.
Type: Introduction Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on Hospitals
On agenda: 5/19/2022
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to visitation policy guidelines for hospitals during public health emergencies
Sponsors: Carlina Rivera , Gale A. Brewer, Farah N. Louis, Sandy Nurse, Pierina Ana Sanchez
Council Member Sponsors: 5
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DOHMH”) to develop voluntary guidelines for hospital visitation policies in the event of a public health emergency. Such guidelines would be distributed to hospitals in the City, posted on the DOHMH website, and submitted to the Mayor and Speaker of the Council. This bill would also require DOHMH to develop voluntary guidelines for hospital visitation policies in response to the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, by July 1, 2020.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 426, 2. Int. No. 426, 3. May 19, 2022 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 5-19-22, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - May 19, 2022

Int. No. 426

 

By Council Members Rivera, Brewer, Louis, Nurse and Sanchez

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to visitation policy guidelines for hospitals during public health emergencies

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 21 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 21

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE

§ 17-2101 Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

COVID-19. The term “COVID-19” means the 2019 novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV.

Department. The term “department” means the department of health and mental hygiene.

Public health emergency. The term “public health emergency” means any state of emergency declared by the state or the city in response to an outbreak of an infectious disease.

§ 17-2102 Hospital visitation policy guidelines. a. No later than 14 days after a declaration of a public health emergency, the department shall develop voluntary guidelines for hospital visitation policies. Such guidelines shall take into consideration federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding hospital visitation policies.  Such guidelines shall include specific provisions regarding visitors of a patient giving birth.

b. The department shall immediately submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and shall post conspicuously on the department’s website the voluntary guidelines for hospital visitation policies developed pursuant to subdivision a. The department shall immediately distribute such guidelines to every hospital in the city.

c. No later than July 1, 2022, the department shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and shall post conspicuously on the department’s website voluntary guidelines for hospital visitation policies in response to COVID-19, in accordance with subdivisions a of this section. No later than July 1, 2022, the department shall distribute such guidelines to every hospital in the city.

§2. This local law takes effect immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 12

HKA

LS #4393

4.22.22

 

Session 11

AM

LS #14496

Int. #2017-2020