Enacts the "Nurse of Tomorrow Act" to provide for grants from the state commissioner of education to public and not-for-profit hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, schools and other entities for nurse recruitment, education and retention costs and activities as described herein.
Directs the commissioner of labor, in conjunction with the commissioner of health, to develop a program which incentivizes unemployed individuals to enter jobs in healthcare.
This bill allows healthcare professionals licensed in other states (including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and midwives) to provide reproductive health services in this state without first obtaining a local license. It requires applicants to submit a letter of intent, employer verification, and start date/location details while applying for licensure. Providers must maintain good standing in their home state and comply with all applicable regulations during the temporary practice period. The provision does not apply to professionals from states with licensing standards deemed substandard by the commissioner. This law directly affects reproductive health providers seeking to serve patients across state lines.
This bill (S 1712) requires Medicaid to cover services provided by school psychologists certified under education law, where those services would otherwise qualify for Medicaid coverage. It directly affects students receiving psychological services in schools and school psychologists who provide those services. The key provision adds a specific category to Medicaid coverage, clarifying that such services must be covered without altering the scope of practice defined for school psychologists under education law. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment.
This bill would allow licensed pharmacists to order and administer FDA-approved tests for certain infectious diseases (like flu or STIs) after completing required training. It directly affects pharmacists by expanding their scope of practice and patients seeking rapid, accessible testing for suspected infections. Pharmacists would need to follow federal lab rules and use only tests approved for limited settings. The bill is currently pending in the Health committee with no votes taken.
Establishes a five hundred dollar credit against income tax for nurses employed on a full-time basis for not less than six months and nurses teaching at institutions of higher education on and after January 1, 2026.
This bill, the "Nurse Safety Work Act," requires hospitals to implement safety procedures ensuring staff are never alone with a patient unless specific safeguards are in place. Hospitals must either provide staff with a tracking device to signal for help or ensure additional staff are nearby and able to hear/assist a call for help. The law applies directly to all hospitals and takes effect immediately upon enactment. It focuses on concrete safety protocols for patient-staff interactions without specifying additional funding or enforcement details.
This bill requires large group health insurance plans in New York to cover acupuncture services when prescribed by qualified healthcare providers (as defined under Education Law §8211). It applies to plans covering physician office services or comprehensive medical coverage, mandating coverage for acupuncture treatments but allowing reasonable cost-sharing like deductibles or co-pays. The law does not require full coverage without cost-sharing, only that plans include acupuncture as a covered service under specified conditions. It affects insurers offering large group plans and patients relying on such coverage for acupuncture treatments. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment for new or renewed policies.
This bill limits health care workers, including nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel, to their regularly scheduled work hours without mandatory overtime. Exceptions allow longer shifts only during declared emergencies (like natural disasters or public health crises), federal/state emergency declarations, or when completing an ongoing medical/surgical procedure. It specifically excludes doctors, residents, and security staff from this definition. The law aims to protect patient safety by preventing excessive staff fatigue through concrete scheduling limits. Employers cannot use on-call time to bypass these restrictions.
This bill allows pharmacists and registered nurses to dispense emergency contraception without an individual prescription, under a "non-patient specific regimen" ordered by a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife. It directly affects patients seeking pregnancy prevention, particularly young women, by expanding access through pharmacies and clinics. Key provisions include requiring healthcare providers to give patients written educational materials about usage, follow-up care, and related health risks, while preserving existing professional scopes of practice. The law defines emergency contraception as FDA-approved drugs used after intercourse to prevent pregnancy, clarifying it is not an abortion method.
