Bill > S04713

This bill amends the New York Mental Hygiene Law to specify that medical records and patient information for individuals who have been deceased for 50 years or longer will be classified as historic records and will no longer be subject to privacy protections. The legislation importantly clarifies that this change does not obligate healthcare facilities to retain clinical records for any specific duration or indefinitely. This means that after half a century, patient records can be more freely accessed or shared without the same confidentiality restrictions that apply to records of recently deceased or living patients. The purpose appears to be to balance long-term historical record preservation and research access with patient privacy concerns, recognizing that privacy needs diminish significantly over several decades after a patient's death.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4713