BILL NUMBER:  S5804A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the education law, in relation to an education and
awareness program on tick identification and protection

 PURPOSE :

This bill directs the commissioner of education in collaboration with
the Commissioners of Health and Environmental Conservation to develop
instructional tools and materials to assist in the education and
awareness program to protect children from Lyme disease and tick-borne
infections.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one directs the Commissioner of Education to collaborate with
the Commission of Health and the Commissioner of Environmental
Conservation to develop instructional tools and materials to assist in
the education and awareness program to protect children from Lyme
disease and tick-borne infections. Resources and materials should be
age appropriate for school age children to help identify ticks,
provide procedures for safe removal and best practices for protection
from ticks. Such materials shall be available to schools and libraries
at no cost and available upon request.
              

Section two sets an immediate effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

According to the most recent reporting by the Center for Disease
Control (CDC), New York State has the third highest number of
confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the entire country and according to
the NYS Department of Health, what started as a predominantly in Long
Island and the Hudson Valley, the reports illustrate a growing number
of infected ticks have migrated to counties throughout New York.  It
is all too common for families to be affected, or know someone who has
been affected by Lyme, many of whom never fully recover. While there
is great debate throughout the medical community regarding how best to
treat Lyme, it is commonly accepted that early education and
prevention are key to controlling the spread of the disease.

Children should have a visual instructional tool that helps them
identify ticks which vary in size from the time they are nymphs to
adults and change in size when engorged. Children should also
understand the importance of how to respond when they find a tick on
their body, as it's best to have a knowledgeable adult remove the tick
once it starts to engorge. Finally, children should know where
exposure to ticks is greatest and how to check for ticks before they
attach to the body. Providing age appropriate materials is a critical
component necessary for the education and awareness campaign against
ticks to help stop the spread of Lyme disease and tick-borne
infections.

Given the recent overwhelming requests from New York schools and
libraries to receive free brochures on the issue that included Lyme
disease facts and prevention tips to share with their students, it is
clear there is, in fact, a need and demand for educational and
instructional tools and materials on the topic of Lyme disease.

We have a responsibility to protect the health and safety of New
York's children and this bill aims to do that and raise awareness by
placing the issue in directly in the classroom and in our libraries to
best educate our youth with age appropriate materials they can
understand.
 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New Bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Nominal to the state

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately