New York A 6904: Adds Down syndrome to the definition of developmental disability and expands such definition to include certain individuals below the age of ten

Status: PRINT NUMBER 6904A (as of 2026-03-18)

State: New York · Session: 2025-2026 · Bill: A 6904

Sponsors: Karen McMahon, Alicia Hyndman, Andrew Hevesi, Angelo Santabarbara, Chantel Jackson, Deborah Glick, Doug Smith, Jen Lunsford, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Jo Anne Simon, Judy Griffin, Kalman Yeger, MaryJane Shimsky, Noah Burroughs, Sam Berger

Bill Text

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A06904 Summary:

BILL NOA06904A

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SAME ASSAME AS S09448

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SPONSORMcMahon

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COSPNSRShimsky, Burroughs, Gonzalez-Rojas, Hevesi, Glick, Hyndman, Lunsford, Griffin, Simon, Santabarbara,
 Berger, Jackson, Yeger, Smith

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MLTSPNSR

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Amd §1.03, Ment Hyg L

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Adds Down syndrome to the definition of developmental disability for the purpose of making Down syndrome an automatic qualifier for Medicaid; expands the definition of developmental disability to include certain individuals below the age of ten who cannot demonstrate that their disability constitutes a substantial handicap to their ability to function in a normal society, but that have a high probability of meeting such criteria later in life; expands the definition of developmental disability to include certain individuals below the age of four.

Go to top A06904 Actions:

BILL NOA06904A

&nbsp

03/18/2025referred to mental health

01/07/2026referred to mental health

03/18/2026amend (t) and recommit to mental health

03/18/2026print number 6904a

Go to topA06904 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA06904 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA06904 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6904--A

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 March 18, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. McMAHON, SHIMSKY, BURROUGHS, GONZALEZ-ROJAS,
 HEVESI, GLICK, HYNDMAN, LUNSFORD, GRIFFIN -- read once and referred to
 the Committee on Mental Health -- recommitted to the Committee on
 Mental Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to adding Down
 syndrome to the definition of developmental disability and to expand-
 ing such definition to include certain individuals below the age of
 ten

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

 1 Section 1. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 22 of
 2 section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law, as amended by chapter 114 of the
 3 laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
 4 (1) is attributable to intellectual disability, cerebral palsy,
 5 epilepsy, neurological impairment, familial dysautonomia, Prader-Willi
 6 syndrome, Down syndrome, or autism;
 7 § 2. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 22 of section 1.03 of the mental
 8 hygiene law, as amended by section 4 of part MM of chapter 58 of the
 9 laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
 10 (d) constitutes a substantial handicap to such person's ability to
 11 function normally in society; provided, however, that an individual
 12 below the age of ten who meets the criteria for having a developmental
 13 disability under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this subdivision may be
 14 deemed to have a developmental disability without establishing that such
 15 disability constitutes a substantial handicap under this paragraph if
 16 such individual, without services and supports, has a high probability
 17 of meeting such criteria under this paragraph later in life; provided,
 18 further, that an individual below the age of four who meets the criteria
 19 for having a developmental disability under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c)
 20 of this subdivision shall be deemed to have a developmental disability.
 21 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07305-03-5

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