File #: Int 1495-2025    Version: * Name: Creating resources for doulas.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 12/4/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating resources for doulas
Sponsors: Jennifer Gutiérrez, Amanda C. Farías
Council Member Sponsors: 2
Summary: This bill would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop a “Doula Bill of Rights” that includes State laws that affect a doula and their work with birthing people in hospitals. The bill would also require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop a submission form to receive feedback from doulas working with birthing parents in hospitals in New York City and to share a summary of the feedback annually. Finally, the bill would establish a doula advisory council to study the work of doulas in the city and advise the Citywide Doula Program, comprised of doulas, recent parents, the Commissioner, and would invite a representative of NYC Health + Hospitals.
Indexes: Council Appointment Required, Other Appointment Required, Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1495, 2. Int. No. 1495, 3. December 4, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1495

 

By Council Members Gutiérrez and Farías

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating resources for doulas

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 17-199.10 of chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding new subdivisions e, f and g to read as follows:

e. Doula bill of rights. No later than 6 months after the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision, the commissioner shall develop a doula bill of rights that informs doulas on the laws that affect them, including any city or state hospital and public health laws on a doula’s access to hospital spaces. The commissioner shall post the resource conspicuously on the department’s website and share the resource with the citywide doula program and the health and hospitals corporation.

f. Doula feedback. No later than 6 months after the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision, the commissioner shall post conspicuously on the department’s website a submission form for doulas to submit information on their experience working with birthing people in hospitals in the city. No later than 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit to the mayor, the speaker of the council, and the doula advisory council established pursuant to subdivision g of this section, and post conspicuously on the department’s website, a summary of the feedback received.

g. Doula advisory council established. The commissioner shall establish and maintain a doula advisory council.

1. The doula advisory council shall study doula services in the city and advise the citywide doula program established pursuant to subdivision d on best practices to support doulas and birthing people using doulas.

2. The doula advisory council shall be composed of the following individuals:

(a) The commissioner or such commissioner’s designee, who shall serve as chair;

(b) Two individuals who have given birth in the city in the last 2 years appointed by the mayor;

(c) Two doulas appointed by the speaker of the council, and

(d) Upon invitation by the commissioner, a representative of the health and hospitals corporation.

3. The chair may invite members of the public, officers, and representatives of relevant federal, state, and local agencies and authorities to participate in the work of the doula advisory council.

4. Each member of the doula advisory council shall serve at the pleasure of the officer who appointed the member. In the event of a vacancy on the advisory council, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. All members of the doula advisory council shall serve without compensation.

5. All appointments required by this subdivision shall be made no later than 90 days after the effective date of this local law.

6. The chair shall convene the first meeting of the doula advisory council no later than 30 days after the last member has been appointed, except that where not all members of the doula advisory council have been appointed within the time specified in section four, the chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force within 10 days of the appointment of a quorum. The doula advisory council shall meet no less than once each quarter to carry out the duties described in paragraph 1 of this subdivision.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

JGP

LS #17228

11/5/25 3:00 PM