BILL NUMBER: S7818
SPONSOR: BASKIN
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the county law, in relation to permitting the commis-
sioner of health to designate local health officials to request copies
of certain reports and records
 
PURPOSE:
To amend the county law to allow a local health official to be the
designee of the commissioner of health for purposes of requesting copies
of all reports and records related to a death, including, but not limit-
ed to, autopsy reports and toxicology reports
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends section 677 (9) of the county health law to
allow a local health official to be the designee of the commissioner of
health
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The United States is facing an overdose epidemic. In New York State,
there were 6,358 reported overdose-related deaths in 2022 and a high
death rate of 31.4 according to the CDC's National Center for Health
Statistics. To combat this overdose epidemic, public health officials
need access to accurate and real time data to better develop and target
evidence-based public health interventions.
Under county health law section 677, county coroners and medical examin-
ers are directed to make inquiries into unnatural deaths, including
overdose deaths. This same section allows the New York State Commission-
er of Health, or their designee, to request all copies of reports and
records related to a death, including, but not limited to, autopsy
reports and toxicology reports. The current law does not include a
provision allowing a local health official to request these reports, so
local health officials cannot get copies of these reports. It is imper-
ative that local health officials be able to access this information as
they are charged with reducing preventable injury and death and to
perform public health surveillance. Local health officials must have
access to this information and data to monitor morbidity and mortality
trends in their jurisdictions and to determine how to best allocate
resources to combat the overdose epidemic. This provision will allow the
Commissioner to designate their powers to the local public health offi-
cials to remove a barrier that exists with public health responses to
overdose deaths.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.  
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

Statutes affected:
S7818: 677 county law, 677(9) county law