Senator Elaine Phillips Appointed To Senate Task Force On Lyme And Tick-Borne Diseases

Senator Elaine Phillips was appointed to the Senate Task Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases (TBD) today by New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan. The Task Force is charged with raising awareness and improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases to protect the health of New Yorkers.

“Lyme and other tick-borne disease rates continue to increase across New York State, including right here on Long Island,” Senator Elaine Phillips said. “Education is key and as elected officials, it is our responsibility to promote public awareness about this debilitating illness in our local communities. As a member of the Task Force, I look forward to working with my colleagues as we improve detection and treatment efforts of tick-borne diseases and provide residents with the knowledge they need to reduce exposure.”

Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said, “I’m pleased to appoint Senator Phillips to this crucial Senate Task Force. Senator Phillips’ efforts will help raise awareness of this important public health issue that is particularly prevalent on Long Island and assist in crafting meaningful legislation to address its impacts. The Task Force will continue to work on protecting New Yorkers by enhancing research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment for harmful tick-borne illnesses.”

While the Northeast United States continues to be one of the hardest-hit regions for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, the Senate has been actively working to reverse this trend. This year alone, the Task Force successfully secured a record $400,000 in the state budget for research, education, and prevention efforts. 

The Task Force has been working since 2013 to engage stakeholders and develop legislation to address Lyme disease. It will build upon past legislative successes, including two new laws passed last year that require the Department of Health to design a Lyme and TBD awareness program, and require the state to create age-appropriate educational materials that would be readily available to schools. Another new law passed this year will help keep kids safer through the use of insect repellent at summer camps.

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