NY State Senate Bill 2025-S1759

Senate Bill S1759

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires the New York state cancer services program to provide various cancer screenings and diagnostic services at no cost; appropriation

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 13, 2025	referred to finance

co-Sponsors

2025-S1759 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Appropriations
Laws Affected:: Amd §§2405, 2408, 2409 & 2409-a, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: S9258
2023-2024: S2377

2025-S1759 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the New York state cancer services program to provide various cancer screenings and diagnostic services at no cost to certain persons and to provide informational pamphlets on such cancers.

2025-S1759 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1759

SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the New
York state cancer services program to provide breast cancer, cervical
cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and ovarian
cancer screenings and diagnostic services at no cost to certain people;
and making an appropriation therefor

 
PURPOSE:

This bill requires the New York State Cancer Services Program to provide
various cancer screenings and diagnostic services at no cost, subject to
appropriation.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 2405 of the public health law is
amended to include cancer screening and diagnostic services for cancers
including, but not limited to, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon

cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and ovarian cancer. The
department to produce an informational pamphlet pertaining to the
cancers mentioned above for educational purposes.

Section 2. Section 2408 of the public health law is amended to include
ovarian, colon, prostate, and testicular cancer in the commissioner's
annual report to be submitted to the governor and the legislature.

Section 3. Section 2409 of the public health law is amended to include
breast, cervical, ovarian, colon, prostate, and testicular in the cancer
information program.

Section 4. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 2409-a of the public health
law is amended to include colon cancer as part of the department's
cancer and education program advisory council.

Section 5. Increase funding for the NYS Cancer Services Program (CSP) to
$26.8 Million Section 6 provides for the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The American Cancer Society estimated in 2024 that 122,900 new cancer
cases would be diagnosed in New York, and over 30,990 cancer deaths
would occur, making cancer the second leading cause of death in the
state.

Cancer patients, particularly those without health insurance, have long
faced significant barriers to accessing care. COVID-19 has magnified
these barriers, with 46% of cancer patients and survivors reporting a
change in their ability to pay for care due to the pandemic and 79%
experiencing delays in active treatment.

Various studies at institutions in the United States have shown a
substantial decline in cancer screening rates during the COVID-19
pandemic, suggesting that fewer cancers will be detected by screening;
when they do manifest, they will be at more advanced.  Shortly after the
start of the pandemic, cancer-related mortality rates have increased at
an alarming rate across all population groups. During the pandemic, a
disturbing trend has been witnessed.

Health disparities across populations from racial and ethnic minority
groups are more likely to be uninsured, increasing the likelihood of
being diagnosed with advanced cancer. The 5-year relative survival rate
is lower in Blacks than in Whites for every stage of diagnosis.  The
purpose of this legislation is to enable the early detection of cancer.
Early detection increases the chances of successful treatment, improves
survival rates, and saves New York overall on medical costs.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-2024: S2377 referred to Finance

2022: S9258 Referred to Finance

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2025-S1759 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1759
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  PERSAUD, COMRIE, RAMOS, SKOUFIS -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Finance
 
 AN  ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the New
   York state cancer services program to provide breast cancer,  cervical
   cancer,  colon  cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and ovarian
   cancer screenings and  diagnostic  services  at  no  cost  to  certain
   people; and making an appropriation therefor
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 2405 of the public health law,  as
 amended  by  section  2 of part A of chapter 109 of the laws of 2010, is
 amended to read as follows:
   2. The program shall include:
   (a)  establishment  of  a  statewide  public  education  and  outreach
 campaign  to  publicize  evidence  based  cancer detection and education
 services, such campaign  shall  include:  general  community  education,
 outreach  to  specific  underserved populations, evidence based clinical
 cancer screening services,  and  an  informational  summary  that  shall
 include  an  explanation  of the importance of clinical examinations and
 what  to  expect  during  clinical  examinations  and  cancer  screening
 services;
   (b)  provision of grants to approved organizations under section twen-
 ty-four hundred six of this title;
   (c) compilation of data concerning the cancer detection and  education
 program and dissemination of the data to the public; [and]
   (d) development of professional education programs including the bene-
 fits  of early detection of cancer and clinical examinations, the recom-
 mended frequency of clinical examinations and cancer screening services,
 and professionally recognized best practices guidelines;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05049-01-5
 S. 1759                             2

 
   (E)  A  REQUIREMENT  OF  PROVIDING  CANCER  SCREENING  AND  DIAGNOSTIC
 SERVICES  FOR  CANCERS  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, BREAST CANCER,
 CERVICAL CANCER, COLON CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER,  TESTICULAR  CANCER  AND
 OVARIAN CANCER; AND
   (F)  AN  INFORMATIONAL  PAMPHLET PERTAINING TO BREAST CANCER, CERVICAL
 CANCER, COLON CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER,  TESTICULAR  CANCER  AND  OVARIAN
 CANCER  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO: INFORMATION ON EARLY DETECTIONS
 AND TREATMENTS OF SUCH CANCERS; CONTACT INFORMATION, INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO,  THE PROGRAM'S PHONE NUMBER, CONTACT EMAIL, AND WEBSITE FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THE  DEPARTMENT  EDUCATING  PATIENTS;  AND  A  TELEPHONE
 NUMBER  FOR THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT IN THE DEPARTMENT
 AND THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONS IN THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION,  AT
 WHICH  A  PATIENT  MAY  REPORT ANY MISCONDUCT THAT THE PATIENT FEELS MAY
 HAVE OCCURRED.   THE INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET SHALL BE POSTED AS A  PRINT-
 ABLE  FILE  ON  THE  DEPARTMENT'S  INTERNET WEBSITE AND MAY ALSO BE MADE
 AVAILABLE FOR ORDER AS A PRINTED  DELIVERABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTER-
 NET WEBSITE.  THE INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET SHALL BE WRITTEN IN LAYPERSON'S
 LANGUAGE AND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND THE SIX MOST  COMMON
 NON-ENGLISH  LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFI-
 CIENCY IN NEW YORK STATE AS BASED ON THE MOST RECENT CENSUS.
   § 2. Section 2408 of the public health law, as amended by chapter  430
 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   §  2408.  Annual  report.  The  commissioner shall submit on or before
 December first, an annual report to the  governor  and  the  legislature
 concerning  the operation of the breast [and], cervical, OVARIAN, COLON,
 PROSTATE  AND  TESTICULAR  cancer  detection  and   education   program.
 [Commencing  in  nineteen  hundred ninety-five, such] SUCH reports shall
 include the experience of the program  in  providing  BREAST,  cervical,
 OVARIAN, COLON, PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR cancer early detection and diag-
 nostic  services.  The annual report shall include strategies for imple-
 mentation of the BREAST, cervical, OVARIAN, COLON, PROSTATE AND TESTICU-
 LAR cancer prevention plan and for promoting the  plan  to  the  general
 public,  state  and  local  elected  officials,  and  various public and
 private organizations, associations, businesses, industries,  and  agen-
 cies.   Approved organizations shall provide such data and assessment as
 the commissioner may require for such report.  Such  report  shall  also
 include any recommendations for additional action to respond to the high
 incidence of breast cancer in this state.
   § 3. Section 2409 of the public health law, as added by chapter 300 of
 the laws of 1995 and subdivisions 5 and 6 as renumbered by section 72 of
 part D of chapter 60 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
   §  2409.  [Ovarian]  BREAST,  CERVICAL,  OVARIAN,  COLON, PROSTATE AND
 TESTICULAR cancer information program. 1. There is hereby created within
 the department the [ovarian] BREAST, CERVICAL, OVARIAN, COLON,  PROSTATE
 AND  TESTICULAR  cancer information program (referred to in this section
 as the  "program"),  which  shall  provide  information  for  consumers,
 patients, and health care providers relating to BREAST, CERVICAL, ovari-
 an, COLON, PROSTATE AND TESTICULAR cancer, including signs and symptoms,
 risk  factors, the benefits of early detection through appropriate diag-
 nostic testing and treatment options.
   2. The program [may] SHALL include but not be limited to the following
 elements:
   (a) educational and informational materials in  print,  audio,  video,
 electronic, or other media;
   (b) public service announcements and advertisements; [and]
 S. 1759                             3
 
   (c)  establishment of toll-free telephone hotlines to provide informa-
 tion; AND
   (D)  AN  INFORMATIONAL  PAMPHLET PERTAINING TO BREAST CANCER, CERVICAL
 CANCER, COLON CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER,  TESTICULAR  CANCER  AND  OVARIAN
 CANCER  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO: INFORMATION ON EARLY DETECTIONS
 AND TREATMENTS OF SUCH CANCERS; CONTACT INFORMATION, INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO, THE PROGRAM'S PHONE NUMBER, CONTACT EMAIL, AND WEBSITE, FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THE  DEPARTMENT  EDUCATING  PATIENTS;  AND  A  TELEPHONE
 NUMBER  FOR THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT IN THE DEPARTMENT
 AND THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONS IN THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION,  AT
 WHICH  A  PATIENT  MAY  REPORT ANY MISCONDUCT THAT THE PATIENT FEELS MAY
 HAVE OCCURRED.   THE INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET SHALL BE POSTED AS A  PRINT-
 ABLE    FILE  ON  THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET WEBSITE AND MAY ALSO BE MADE
 AVAILABLE FOR ORDER AS A PRINTED  DELIVERABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTER-
 NET    WEBSITE.    THE  INFORMATIONAL  PAMPHLET  SHALL  BE  WRITTEN   IN
 LAYPERSON'S  LANGUAGE AND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND THE SIX
 MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN  BY  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  LIMITED
 ENGLISH  PROFICIENCY  IN  NEW  YORK  STATE  AS  BASED ON THE MOST RECENT
 CENSUS.
   3. The department shall produce, make available to others for  reprod-
 uction,  or  contract  with others to develop the materials mentioned in
 this section as the  commissioner  deems  appropriate.  These  materials
 shall  be  made available to the public free of charge as appropriate or
 for a fee under certain circumstances. The commissioner  shall  require,
 where  appropriate, health care providers to provide or make these mate-
 rials available to patients.
   4. In exercising any of [his or her] THEIR powers under this  section,
 the  commissioner  shall  consult  with  appropriate health care profes-
 sionals, providers, consumers and patients, or organizations  represent-
 ing them.
   5.  In  addition  to any state funds appropriated for the program, the
 commissioner may accept grants from public or private  sources  for  the
 program.  The commissioner, in administering this section, shall seek to
 coordinate the program with other public and private  efforts,  and  may
 undertake  joint  or  cooperative  programs with other public or private
 entities.
   6. The commissioner may  make  rules  and  regulations  necessary  and
 appropriate for the implementation of this section.
   §  4. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 2409-a of the public health law,
 as amended by section 6 of part A of chapter 60 of the laws of 2014, are
 amended to read as follows:
   1. There is hereby established in the department the cancer  detection
 and  education program advisory council, for the purpose of advising the
 commissioner  with  regards  to  providing  information  to   consumers,
 patients,  and  health  care  providers  relating,  but  not limited to,
 breast,  cervical,  COLON,  prostate,  testicular  and  ovarian  cancer,
 including  signs  and symptoms, risk factors, the benefits of prevention
 and early detection, guideline concordant cancer screening  and  disease
 management,  options for diagnostic testing and treatment, new technolo-
 gies, and survivorship.
   3. The commissioner shall appoint  twenty-one  voting  members,  which
 shall  include  representation  of health care professionals, consumers,
 patients, one voting member who shall be a person who  has  or  has  had
 COLON,  prostate  or testicular cancer, one voting member who shall be a
 person who has or has had breast, cervical or ovarian cancer  and  other
 appropriate  interests  reflective  of  the diversity of the state, with
 S. 1759                             4
 
 expertise in breast, cervical, COLON, prostate, testicular and/or ovari-
 an cancer. The commissioner shall appoint one member as  a  chairperson.
 The  members  of  the  council  shall  receive no compensation for their
 services,  but  shall  be  allowed  their  actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in performance of their duties.
   § 5. The sum of twenty-six  million  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars
 ($26,800,000),  or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appro-
 priated to the New York state cancer services program out of any  moneys
 in  the  state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the depart-
 ment of health, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately  avail-
 able,  for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.  Such
 moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the  comptroller  on
 vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the commissioner of health in the
 manner prescribed by law.
   § 6. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S1759

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Sponsored By

Roxanne J. Persaud