Bill > A01475

This bill requires general hospitals to obtain and record information during patient intake and registration to determine whether a patient requires a reasonable accommodation for a disability, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The bill modifies existing public health law to mandate that hospitals collect specific details about a patient's potential disability needs, while explicitly stating that patients are not obligated to answer these inquiries if they do not wish to do so. The law aims to improve accessibility and support for patients with disabilities by creating a standardized process for identifying and addressing accommodation needs during hospital admission. Additionally, the bill ensures that patients who are blind or visually impaired receive preadmission information in alternative formats like large print or audio recordings upon request. The effective date of the law has been adjusted from the original ninety-day implementation period to one hundred eighty days after becoming law, providing hospitals with more time to prepare for and implement these new requirements.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1475