S 8082: Directs the commissioner to promulgate regulations for the release of patient records by the office of mental health.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8082 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. BROUK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to authorizing the release of certain records of deceased residents of mental health facilities to family members upon written request The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding 2 a new subdivision (n) to read as follows: 3 (n) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 33.13 and 33.16 of this 4 chapter, the commissioner shall promulgate regulations in accordance 5 with the federal health insurance portability and accountability act of 6 1996, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, governing the release 7 of certain records pertaining to a deceased individual who resided in a 8 facility operated or certified by the office. The regulations shall 9 specify which information shall be released and shall include such 10 records as the individual's name; dates of admission, discharge, birth 11 and death; cause of death; treatment and services provided; employment; 12 and residential history. Such records may be provided to family members 13 upon written request. The commissioner shall not authorize the release 14 of such records where the deceased individual had previously objected to 15 the release of their records and such objection was in writing or other- 16 wise documented in the individual's services plan and had not been with- 17 drawn. In the case of an individual who lacked capacity to consent to 18 the release of their records, a qualified person as defined in paragraph 19 six of subdivision (a) of section 33.16 of this chapter may object to 20 such release. 21 § 2. Subdivision (c) of section 33.13 of the mental hygiene law is 22 amended by adding a new paragraph 19 to read as follows: 23 19. upon written request by the physician of a family member of an 24 individual, who has a demonstrable medical need for such information as EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13130-01-5 
 S. 8082 2 1 it is relevant to the family member's own health care. The commissioner 2 shall promulgate regulations to define family member for purposes of 3 this section. 4 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that section one 5 of this act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it 6 shall have become a law.