STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6987--A 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 3, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the department of health of the state of New York to conduct a study of the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on infant mortality and prepare and submit a report to the governor and the legislature The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2 2500-l to read as follows: 3 § 2500-l. Study of the effects of racial and ethnic disparities on 4 infant mortality. 1. The department shall conduct a study on the 5 effects of racial and ethnic disparities on infant mortality. The 6 purpose of the study shall be to: 7 (a) identify statewide and regional infant death rates, trends, 8 patterns, and racial and ethnic disparities in adverse birth outcomes, 9 and medical, non-medical, and system-related factors that may have 10 contributed to infant deaths and treatment disparities; 11 (b) review the extent to which racial and ethnic disparities in infant 12 mortality in a geographic area indicate the need to increase access to 13 health care services in that area; and 14 (c) identify ways to reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities 15 that contribute to infant mortality. 16 2. In conducting the study, the department may seek the advice of 17 persons specializing in the fields of neonatal and post neonatal pathol- 18 ogy, maternal and infant health, minority health advocacy, or other 19 related fields. 20 3. Within one year after the effective date of this section, the 21 department shall prepare and submit to the governor, the temporary pres- 22 ident of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10112-02-9A. 6987--A 2 1 the senate and the minority leader of the assembly a report containing 2 the study's findings concerning the effects of racial and ethnic dispar- 3 ities on infant mortality and recommendations for legislative or other 4 actions that can be undertaken to: 5 (a) reduce infant mortality and improve birth outcomes in the state; 6 (b) reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities that contribute 7 to infant mortality; and 8 (c) increase access to health care services in the state. 9 4. The department may prepare and submit additional reports when the 10 department deems it appropriate, and each report, with the exception of 11 the first report prepared under this section, shall additionally identi- 12 fy the extent to which the department's prior recommendations have been 13 successfully implemented in practice and the apparent impact that the 14 implementation of such recommended changes has had on infant mortality 15 in the preceding years. 16 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 17 have become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or 18 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 19 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 20 on or before such date.