New York S 10494: Enacts the safe access to care act

Bill Text

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S10494 Summary:

BILL NOS10494 

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SAME ASSAME AS A11537

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SPONSORRIVERA

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §2803-c-3, amd §2832, Pub Health L

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Enacts the safe access to care act requiring certain healthcare facilities to adopt and make public a statement of patient rights and healthcare facility obligations with regards to immigration enforcement; includes unlawful or non-judicially authorized immigration enforcement actions at a healthcare facility as a workplace threat or hazard for purposes of the violence prevention program.

Go to top S10494 Actions:

BILL NOS10494 

&nbsp

05/15/2026REFERRED TO HEALTH

Go to topS10494 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS10494 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS10494 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10494

 IN SENATE

 May 15, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring certain
 healthcare facilities to establish patient rights and healthcare
 facility obligations relating to civil immigration enforcement

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

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "safe access to care act".
 3 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2803-c-3
 4 to read as follows:
 5 § 2803-c-3. Patient rights and healthcare facility obligations; immi-
 6 gration enforcement. 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
 7 (a) "Civil immigration enforcement" means any and all efforts to
 8 investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of
 9 any federal civil immigration law, including but not limited to the
 10 apprehension, arrest, detention, or removal of any person on the basis
 11 of immigration status.
 12 (b) "Judicial warrant or judicial order" means an arrest warrant,
 13 search warrant, or other judicial order issued by a judge or magistrate
 14 of the judicial branch of a state or federal court specifically author-
 15 izing the described action at the described location.
 16 (c) "Healthcare facility" means a hospital, diagnostic and treatment
 17 center, residential healthcare facility, nursing home, clinic, federally
 18 qualified health center, ambulatory surgery center, birthing center,
 19 community mental health center, or any other facility licensed pursuant
 20 to this article or article thirty-one or thirty-three of this chapter.
 21 The term "healthcare facility" includes both publicly and privately
 22 owned or operated facilities.
 23 (d) "Nonpublic area" means any area of a healthcare facility where
 24 patients receive care, treatment, or services, or where patients'
 25 protected health information is discussed, stored, or accessible,
 26 including but not limited to patient rooms, examination rooms, treatment
 27 areas, surgical suites, emergency departments, labor and delivery areas,

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD15195-04-6

 S. 10494 2

 1 psychiatric units, intensive care units, waiting areas for patients
 2 undergoing active intake, pharmacy dispensing areas, and records storage
 3 areas. Facilities shall designate nonpublic areas through mapping,
 4 signage, key or badge entry systems, or a combination thereof, consist-
 5 ent with guidance issued by the department pursuant to subdivision seven
 6 of this section.
 7 2. Patient rights and facility obligations. (a) Every healthcare
 8 facility shall adopt and make public a statement of patient rights of
 9 the patients who are receiving care in such facilities and healthcare
 10 facility obligations with regards to immigration enforcement and shall
 11 treat such patients in accordance with the provisions of such statement.
 12 Each healthcare facility shall conspicuously post such statement of
 13 patient rights and healthcare facility obligations and communicate such
 14 rights and obligations to each patient at or prior to the time of admis-
 15 sion or provision of services, whichever is earlier,