New York S 6288: Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services

Bill Text

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S06288 Summary:

BILL NOS06288B

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A00387-B

&nbsp

SPONSORLIU

&nbsp

COSPNSRJACKSON

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §2803-bb, Pub Health L

&nbsp

Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services; requires general hospitals to develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all patients who require language assistance.

Go to top S06288 Actions:

BILL NOS06288B

&nbsp

03/07/2025REFERRED TO HEALTH

03/25/2025AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH

03/25/2025PRINT NUMBER 6288A

04/11/2025AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH

04/11/2025PRINT NUMBER 6288B

05/20/20251ST REPORT CAL.1266

05/21/20252ND REPORT CAL.

05/22/2025ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 

06/10/2025SUBSTITUTED BY A387B

&nbspA00387 AMEND=B Rozic

&nbsp01/08/2025referred to health

&nbsp03/06/2025amend and recommit to health

&nbsp03/06/2025print number 387a

&nbsp03/18/2025reported 

&nbsp03/20/2025advanced to third reading cal.61

&nbsp03/25/2025amended on third reading (t) 387b

&nbsp05/14/2025passed assembly

&nbsp05/14/2025delivered to senate

&nbsp05/14/2025REFERRED TO HEALTH

&nbsp06/10/2025SUBSTITUTED FOR S6288B

&nbsp06/10/20253RD READING CAL.1266

&nbsp06/10/2025PASSED SENATE

&nbsp06/10/2025RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

&nbsp12/01/2025delivered to governor

&nbsp12/10/2025signed chap.614

Go to topS06288 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS06288 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS06288 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6288--B

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 7, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. LIU -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee -- 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 general
 hospitals to provide language assistance services

 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 2803-bb to read as follows:
 3 § 2803-bb. Provision of language assistance. Every general hospital
 4 shall develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access
 5 to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all
 6 patients who require language assistance. Program requirements shall
 7 include:
 8 1. the designation of a language assistance coordinator who shall
 9 report to general hospital administration and who shall provide over-
 10 sight for the provision of language assistance services;
 11 2. policies and procedures that ensure timely identification and ongo-
 12 ing access for patients in need of language assistance services;
 13 3. the development of materials that will be made available for
 14 patients and potential patients that summarize the process and method to
 15 access free language assistance services;
 16 4. ongoing education and training for administrative, clinical and
 17 other employees with direct patient care contact regarding the impor-
 18 tance of culturally and linguistically competent service delivery and
 19 how to access the general hospital's language assistance services on
 20 behalf of patients;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01392-08-5

 S. 6288--B 2

 1 5. signage, as designated by the department, regarding the availabili-
 2 ty of free language assistance services in public entry locations and
 3 other public locations;
 4 6. identification of language of preference and language needs of each
 5 patient upon initial visit to the general hospital;
 6 7. documentation in the medical record of the patient's language of
 7 preference, language needs, and the acceptance or refusal of language
 8 assistance services;
 9 8. a provision that family members, friends, or non-general hospital
 10 personnel shall not act as interpreters, unless:
 11 (a) the patient agrees to their