Bill > S00788

This bill makes several amendments to the New York Public Health Law, focusing on healthcare decision-making and patient rights. First, it expands the list of people who can initiate special legal proceedings related to healthcare disputes to include guardians of the principal, in addition to existing parties like healthcare providers, family members, and close friends. Second, the bill modifies hospital notification requirements for emancipated minor patients, mandating that if a hospital can reasonably determine the identity and contact information of a minor's parents or guardian, they must notify those individuals and document this notification in the patient's medical record before withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. The bill also makes technical changes to nonhospital do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders, including allowing alternative forms for issuing these orders and removing some specific language about developmental disabilities services. These modifications aim to provide clearer guidelines for healthcare decision-making, particularly in situations involving minors and patients with guardians, while ensuring more comprehensive communication and documentation in critical medical scenarios.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S788