Int. No. 609-A

By Council Members Ayala, Restler, Won, Nurse, Gutiérrez, Joseph, Farías, Narcisse, Williams, Richardson Jordan, Stevens, Cabán, Brewer, Salamanca, Abreu, Hudson, Brannan, Ossé, Hanif, Krishnan, Avilés, Sanchez, Louis and Rivera

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a needle, syringe, and sharps buyback pilot program

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. The heading of section 17-180.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 128 for the year 2018, is amended to read as follows:

§ 17-180.1 Overdose prevention and reversal training; needle, syringe, and sharps buyback.

§ 2. Section 17-180.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 128 for the year 2018, is amended by adding new subdivisions g and h to read as follows:

g. 1. Needle, syringe, and sharps buyback pilot program. The department shall establish a needle, syringe, and sharps buyback pilot program. Such program shall offer financial incentives to individuals who collect and return needles, syringes, and sharps that were used for non-medical consumption. In implementing such program, the department shall establish at least 1 buyback location in each of the 5 highest-need council districts in the city, as determined by the department. The department shall set the amount of the buyback incentive for such program, except that such incentive shall not exceed 20 cents per needle, syringe, or sharp and shall not exceed a maximum payout of $10 per day to any individual. The department shall determine eligibility for such program and may consult with overdose prevention centers, the New York city health and hospitals corporation, or any other entity deemed relevant by the commissioner in administering such program.

2. Implementation. The pilot program shall commence no later than 30 days after the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision and conclude one year after the date such program commences. On or before the date the pilot program commences, the department shall conspicuously post on its website a list of the buyback locations included in the pilot program.

3. Report. No later than six months following the conclusion of the pilot program, the department shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post conspicuously on the department’s website, a report on the pilot program established pursuant to this subdivision. Such report shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

(a) The names and addresses of all buyback locations included in the pilot program;

(b) The number of needles, syringes, and sharps returned or disposed of under the pilot program, disaggregated by buyback location;

(c) The total amount of money disbursed to individuals; and

(d) The department’s recommendation as to whether to establish a permanent buyback program and whether and how to expand such program.

h. 1. Community-based plan of action. The department, in conjunction with stakeholders, community-based organizations, providers, and all other entities deemed relevant by the commissioner, shall create a community-based plan of action to address the opioid epidemic in communities that the department deems are at highest risk for opioid abuse and overdose deaths. Such plan shall include, at a minimum:

(a) The creation of a community-based working group, which shall include relevant stakeholders and providers from each community identified by the department pursuant to this paragraph;

(b) A public awareness strategy that targets and addresses each community identified by the department pursuant to this paragraph; and

(c) Information on how and where to access opioid antagonists, as defined in subdivision a of this section, in the community.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 30 days after it becomes law.

CP/SS

LS #7353/ LS #10486

11/14/2022 8:20p