Senate Bill S2446

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a wound care kit and xylazine test strip distribution

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders 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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2025-S2446 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders
Law Section:
Mental Hygiene Law
Laws Affected:
Add §17.47, Ment Hyg L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S9728

2025-S2446 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a wound care kit and xylazine test strip distribution program to supply wound care kits designed for the treatment of injection-related wounds and skin and soft tissue infections, and xylazine test strips, to individuals with a substance use disorder or who are otherwise at risk of drug use, free of charge; prohibits facilities from collecting personally identifying information on such individuals; prohibits police from targeting individuals receiving wound care kits or xylazine test strips under such program.

2025-S2446 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2446 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2446
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed  to  be committed to the Committee on Alcoholism and Substance
   Use Disorders
 
 AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation  to  establishing  a
   wound care kit and xylazine test strip distribution program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a  new  section
 19.47 to read as follows:
 § 19.47 WOUND CARE KIT AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIP DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM.
   1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS WITH
 A  SUBSTANCE  USE  DISORDER OR WHO ARE OTHERWISE AT RISK OF DRUG USE MAY
 RECEIVE, FREE OF CHARGE, WOUND CARE KITS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED  FOR  THE
 TREATMENT   OF   INJECTION-RELATED  WOUNDS  AND  SKIN  AND  SOFT  TISSUE
 INFECTIONS, AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF XYLAZINE.
 THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES MAY APPLY TO DISTRIBUTE SUCH  WOUND  CARE  KITS
 AND XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS:
   (A) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS;
   (B) ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITIES;
   (C) FACILITIES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAMS;
   (D) HOMELESS SHELTERS;
   (E) URGENT CARE CENTERS;
   (F) MOBILE HEALTH UNITS;
   (G) PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICES;
   (H) SAFE SYRINGE PROGRAMS; AND
   (I)  ANY  OTHER  SETTING,  AS  DETERMINED  BY THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS
 ROUTINELY ACCESSED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER  OR  WHO
 ARE  OTHERWISE AT RISK OF DRUG USE, AND WHO ARE IN NEED OF TREATMENT FOR
 INJECTION-RELATED WOUNDS AND SKIN AND SOFT  TISSUE  INFECTIONS,  OR  WHO
 WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05467-01-5
 S. 2446                             2

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