S 7617: Enacts the safer consumption services act which provides for the establishment of a program to provide safe injection sites.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7617 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE April 23, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. RIVERA, BAILEY, BRISPORT, BROUK, CLEARE, COMRIE, COONEY, FERNANDEZ, GIANARIS, GONZALEZ, HARCKHAM, HINCHEY, JACKSON, KRUEGER, LIU, MAY, MYRIE, PARKER, RAMOS, SALAZAR, SANDERS, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to enacting the safer consumption services act The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 2 33-C to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 33-C 4 SAFER CONSUMPTION SERVICES ACT 5 Section 3399. Short title. 6 3399-a. Definitions. 7 3399-b. Program approval. 8 3399-c. Designation. 9 3399-d. Reporting. 10 3399-e. Immunity provided. 11 § 3399. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 12 "safer consumption services act". 13 § 3399-a. Definitions. As used in this article: 14 1. "Program" means an overdose prevention center program established 15 pursuant to this article. 16 2. "Entity" means any community-based organization that is an author- 17 ized syringe exchange program in accordance with the regulations of the 18 department which provides educational, health, harm reduction, housing, 19 or social services and any hospital, medical clinic or office, health 20 center, nursing care facility, mental health facility, or other similar 21 entity that provides medical care. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02284-01-5 
 S. 7617 2 1 3. "Participant" means an individual who seeks to utilize, utilizes, 2 or has used a program established pursuant to this article. 3 § 3399-b. Program approval. 1. Notwithstanding any other statute, law 4 or rule to the contrary, the department may approve an entity to operate 5 a program in one or more jurisdictions upon satisfaction of the require- 6 ments set forth in subdivision two of this section. The department shall 7 establish standards for program approval and training and may promulgate 8 such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement this section. 9 (a) The department shall approve or deny an application under this 10 section within forty-five days of the day of receipt of the application 11 and provide a written explanation of such determination. 12 (b) An entity may make an application under this section at any time, 13 regardless of previous applications. 14 2. The department may approve an entity to operate a program pursuant 15 to this article, upon submission of an application that demonstrates the 16 entity will, at a minimum: 17 (a) provide a hygienic space where participants may consume their 18 preobtained drugs that is separate from the space in which the provider 19 performs other services; 20 (b) provide adequate staffing by healthcare professionals or other 21 trained staff; 22 (c) provide sterile injection and other consumption supplies, collect 23 used hypodermic needles and syringes, and provide secure hypodermic 24 needle and syringe disposal services; 25 (d) provide education on safer consumption practices, proper disposal 26 of hypodermic needles and syringes, and overdose prevention, including 27 written information in, at a minimum, the four most commonly spoken 28 languages in the state as determined by the department; 29 (e) administer first aid, if needed, and monitor participants for 30 potential overdose; 31 (f) provide referrals to substance use disorder treatment, medical, 32 social welfare, and employment and training services; 33 (g) educate participants on the risks of contracting HIV and viral 34 hepatitis and provide sexual health resources and supplies, including, 35 but not limited to, male and female condoms; 36 (h) provide access to naloxone or referrals to obtain naloxone for 37 participants; 38 (i) provide reasonable and adequate security of the program site and 39 equipment; 40 (j) ensure confidentiality of program participants by using an anony- 41 mous unique identifier; 42 (k) train staff members to deliver services offered by the program or 43 attend trainings provided by the department; and 44 (l) establish operating procedures for the program as well as eligi- 45 bility criteria for program participants. 46 § 3399-c. Designation. A department approved program shall also be 47 designated as an authorized syringe exchange program in accordance with 48 the regulations of the department as set forth in 10 NYCRR 80.135 and as 49 a registered provider of an opioid overdose prevention program in 50 accordance with the regulations of the department as set forth in 10 51 NYCRR 80.138. 52 § 3399-d. Reporting. An entity operating an overdose prevention center 53 program under this article shall provide an annual report to the depart- 54 ment at a date set by the department that shall include: 55 1. the number of program participants; 
 S. 7617 3 1 2. aggregate information regarding the characteristics of program 2 participants; 3 3. the number of hypodermic needles and syringes distributed for use 4 on-site; 5 4. the number of overdoses experienced, the number of overdoses inter- 6 vened on-site, and the outcomes; and 7 5. the number of individuals directly and formally referred to other 8 services and the type of service. 9 § 3399-e. Immunity provided. Notwithstanding any other statute, law or 10 rule to the contrary, the following persons shall not be arrested, 11 charged, or prosecuted for any criminal offense or be subject to any 12 civil or administrative penalty, including seizure or forfeiture of 13 assets or real property or disciplinary action by a professional licens- 14 ing board, or be denied any right or privilege, solely for participation 15 or involvement in an overdose prevention center program approved by the 16 department so long as such participation or involvement was in good 17 faith and in accordance with established protocols pursuant to this 18 article: 19 1. a participant; 20 2. a staff member or administrator of a program, including a health- 21 care professional, manager, employee, board member, director, or volun- 22 teer; or 23 3. a property owner who owns property at which a program is located 24 and operates. 25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.