A 387 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services

Summary

Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services; requires general hospitals to develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all patients who require language assistance.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Assembly Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Dec 2025

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Signed Dec 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

A387A → A387B · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand the number of sponsors and advance it to a third reading in committee. The substantive policy change requires the law to apply to 'general hospitals' rather than all hospitals, and updates related language to specify 'general hospital' throughout the text. This narrows the scope of the law to apply only to general hospitals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from applying to all hospitals to applying only to general hospitals.

SCOPE

Changed 'Every hospital' to 'Every general hospital' in the section title and throughout the text.

REQUIREMENT

Updated references from 'hospital' to 'general hospital' in administrative reporting requirements and service availability standards.

Modified interpreter availability requirements to allow reasonable time periods instead of fixed 20-minute and 10-minute deadlines for general hospitals.

Updated needs assessment references to specify 'general hospital administrative data' and 'general hospital service area'.

A387 → A387A · 9 edits

MAJOR

This bill significantly expands requirements for hospitals to provide language assistance services by adding a new language assistance program with specific operational standards, including designated coordinators, timely interpreter availability, and restrictions on using family members as interpreters. The changes strengthen patient access to care by ensuring professional interpretation services are available within specific timeframes and establishing clearer documentation requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from general language assistance requirements to a comprehensive program with detailed operational standards, including specific response times for interpreters and new restrictions on family member interpreters.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for hospitals to designate a language assistance coordinator who reports to hospital administration and provides oversight of language assistance services.

Added specific response time requirements for interpreter availability: within 20 minutes for inpatient/outpatient settings and within 10 minutes for emergency services.

Added restrictions on family members acting as interpreters, requiring patient agreement, hospital offer of free services, and consideration of age, competency, and confidentiality issues.

Added requirement to document patient language preferences and interpreter acceptance/refusal in medical records.

Added requirement for hospitals to maintain a resource of skilled interpreters and persons skilled in communicating with vision and/or hearing-impaired individuals.

Removed previous requirement that language assistance services be provided in person to the extent practicable.

Added requirement for annual needs assessment using demographic data to identify limited English-speaking groups comprising more than one percent of the hospital service area population.

Added requirement for reasonable accommodation allowing family members or patient representatives to assist with communication needs for patients with mental and developmental disabilities.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from 180 days after becoming law to immediate effect.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 10, 2025 · Assembly May 14, 2025

How they voted

57–1

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 63

Jun 10, 2025

D Democratic41

37 Yea 4

90% Yea

R Republican22

20 Yea 1 Nay 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Dec 10, 2025

Signed into law

SIGNED CHAP.614

lower

Jun 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED SENATE

upper

May 14, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HEALTH

upper

May 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

PASSED ASSEMBLY

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

AMENDED ON THIRD READING (T) 387B

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 387A

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH

lower

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HEALTH

lower

1 primary · 21 co-sponsors