The Waiting Game

The health agenda for both houses includes some key reforms to the medical marijuana program and an array of low-profile bills aimed at promoting healthier New Yorkers.

After becoming the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana last June, New York legislators are now watching the implementation of the new system carefully. Assembly Democrats are pushing a bill that would make it easier for the state Department of Health to provide critically ill patients emergency access to medical marijuana.

“(The governor) has sent emphatic letters to the health commissioner in the last year calling for immediate availability of medical marijuana for these children and others—and still no one has gotten medication,” Assembly Health Committee Chairman Dick Gottfried said. “This bill is an effort to try to get the executive branch to move on the issue.”

State Senate Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon also supports immediately implementing medical marijuana for children with severe epilepsy, though he believes it should be done through administrative changes. Currently, the state’s medical marijuana statute is due to take effect in January.

“There was a statement by the (state Health Department) Commissioner (Howard Zucker) that they were anticipating a trial program being implemented when the commissioner was recently before the health committee for the confirmation process,” Hannon said. “I think we should be looking forward to that, more than any statute.”

Both Hannon and Gottfried support legislation to curtail and regulate health care services provided by retail stores, such as CVS, Price Chopper and Wal-Mart. However, Hannon called the Assembly bill “very complicated” compared with the Senate bill. They also support legislation that would bring electronic cigarettes under the purview of the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act.

Gottfried this year achieved his top priority when the Assembly passed a single-payer health care bill he spearheaded. The move was mostly symbolic, as the Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to take up the bill. The Assembly Democrat also listed as a priority some of the recommendations from the governor’s Ending the Epidemic Task Force to combat HIV and AIDS, as well as the Hospital and Nursing Home Safe Staffing bill, though he admitted the latter faces an “uphill battle.”

On the Senate side, Hannon would like to advance legislation that would expand organ donation in New York by clarifying forms at the state DMV and allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to declare a preference to donate, with parental permission.

On the lighter side of state politics, the Senate recently passed a bill that would change state health law to let restaurants allow dogs in outdoor dining areas.

“With a large percentage of New Yorkers being dog owners, many restaurants would like to accommodate their guests and permit canine companions to join them,” Hannon said in a statement. “However, the current health code prohibits restaurants that wish to make such accommodations from doing so or they will face non-issuance, suspension, or forfeiture of their license if they do allow dogs in outdoor dining areas.”

While the bill has not yet passed the Assembly, Gottfried has expressed support for the bill and said he expects it to pass before June 17.

What Got Done

• The 2015-16 state budget included $400 million over four years to support debt restructuring and other capital projects for health care systems
• The budget also included $700 million in capital funding to stabilize the health care delivery system of central and east Brooklyn, and $300 million to create an integrated health care delivery system in Oneida County

What's on the Docket

• Speeding up the implementation of the medical marijuana program
• Expanding organ donation
• Bringing e-cigarettes under the provisions of the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act