New York S 9221: Establishes a medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants test strip program

Bill Text

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S09221 Summary:

BILL NOS09221 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A09001

&nbsp

SPONSORRYAN C

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §19.47, Ment Hyg L

&nbsp

Directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services to establish a program for individuals to receive free drug test strips to detect the presence of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants; directs the commissioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, in cooperation with the commissioner of the department of health, to develop and conduct a public awareness and educational campaign on the dangers of medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants.

Go to top S09221 Actions:

BILL NOS09221 

&nbsp

02/17/2026REFERRED TO ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

05/21/2026REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE

06/04/2026COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

06/04/2026ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1742

06/04/2026SUBSTITUTED BY A9001

&nbspA09001 AMEND= Steck

&nbsp08/13/2025referred to alcoholism and drug abuse

&nbsp01/07/2026referred to alcoholism and drug abuse

&nbsp02/10/2026reported referred to ways and means

&nbsp04/21/2026reported 

&nbsp04/23/2026advanced to third reading cal.366

&nbsp04/27/2026passed assembly

&nbsp04/27/2026delivered to senate

&nbsp04/27/2026REFERRED TO ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

&nbsp06/04/2026SUBSTITUTED FOR S9221

&nbsp06/04/20263RD READING CAL.1742

&nbsp06/04/2026PASSED SENATE

&nbsp06/04/2026RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

Go to topS09221 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09221 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS09221 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9221

 IN SENATE

 February 17, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. C. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance
 Use Disorders

 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing a
 medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contam-
 inants test strip program

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
 2 19.47 to read as follows:
 3 § 19.47 Medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful
 4 contaminants test strip program.
 5 1. The commissioner shall establish a program whereby individuals may
 6 receive, free of charge, drug test strips to detect the presence of
 7 contaminants such as medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or
 8 other harmful contaminants. The following facilities may apply to
 9 distribute such test strips for medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes,
 10 and/or other harmful contaminants:
 11 (a) hospital emergency rooms;
 12 (b) addiction treatment facilities;
 13 (c) facilities for substance use disorder programs;
 14 (d) homeless shelters;
 15 (e) urgent care centers;
 16 (f) mobile medication units;
 17 (g) treatment facilities as defined in paragraph five of subdivision
 18 (a) of section 22.09 of this title; and
 19 (h) any other setting, as determined by the office, which is routinely
 20 accessed by individuals with a substance use disorder.
 21 2. Individuals shall not be targeted by law enforcement when they are
 22 obtaining test strips for medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes,
 23 and/or other harmful contaminants at the facilities pursuant to subdivi-
 24 sion one of this section.
 25 3. The commissioner, in cooperation with the commissioner of the
 26 department of health, shall develop and conduct a public awareness and

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD13552-02-5

 S. 9221 2

 1 educational campaign on the dangers of medetomidine, benzodiazepine,
 2 nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants. Such campaign shall
 3 detail where medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harm-
 4 ful contaminants may be found and the availability of the free test
 5 strips for medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful
 6 contaminants at the facilities referenced in subdivision one of this
 7 sectio