S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7267

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 1, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  GOTTFRIED  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Health

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to granting  immunity
  from liability to organizations which establish physician committees

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Paragraph (g) of subdivision  11  of  section  230  of  the
public health law, as added by chapter 426 of the laws of 1983, subpara-
graphs  (ii)  and  (iii)  as amended by chapter 606 of the laws of 1991,
subparagraphs (v) and (vi) as added by chapter 582 of the laws of  1984,
is amended to read as follows:
  (g) (I) Any physician committee of the Medical Society of the State of
New  York,  the  New  York State Osteopathic Society or a county medical
society referred to in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (c) of this subdi-
vision shall develop procedures in consultation with, and  approved  by,
the commissioner [of the department of health], including but not limit-
ed to the following:
  [(i)]  (A)  The  committee  shall  disclose at least once a month such
information as the  director  of  the  office  of  professional  medical
conduct  may  deem  appropriate  regarding reports received, contacts or
investigations made and the disposition of each report, provided however
that the committee shall not disclose any personally identifiable infor-
mation except as provided in [subparagraph (ii)] CLAUSE (B) or [subpara-
graph (iii)] (C) of this [paragraph] SUBPARAGRAPH.
  [(ii)] (B) The committee shall immediately report to the director  the
name,  all information obtained and the results of any contact or inves-
tigation regarding any physician who  is  believed  to  be  an  imminent
danger to the public.
  [(iii)]  (C)  The  committee  shall report to the director in a timely
fashion all information obtained regarding any physician who refuses  to

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08312-04-5

              

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cooperate  with  the committee, refuses to submit to treatment, or whose
impairment is not substantially alleviated through treatment.
  [(iv)]  (D)  The  committee shall inform each physician who is partic-
ipating in a program of the procedures followed in the program,  of  the
rights  and  responsibilities of the physician in the program and of the
possible results of noncompliance with the program.
  [(v)] (II) No member of any such committee; NOR THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE NEW YORK STATE OSTEOPATHIC SOCIETY OR A COUN-
TY MEDICAL SOCIETY REFERRED TO IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (C)  OF
THIS  SUBDIVISION  THAT ESTABLISHES A COMMITTEE; NOR ANY AGENT, SERVANT,
REPRESENTATIVE OR EMPLOYEE THAT PROVIDES SERVICE TO ANY  SUCH  COMMITTEE
OR  SOCIETY,  shall  be  liable for damages to any person for any action
taken by such COMMITTEE, SOCIETY, member, AGENT, SERVANT, REPRESENTATIVE
OR EMPLOYEE provided that such action was taken without malice and with-
in the scope of such [member's] INDIVIDUAL'S function [as a  member  of]
TO such committee.
  [(vi)]  (III)  The  committee, in conjunction with the director of the
office  of  professional  medical  conduct,  shall  develop  appropriate
consent  forms  and disclosure proceedings as may be necessary under any
federal statute, rule or regulation in order to permit the disclosure of
the information as may be required under  [subparagraphs  (ii)]  CLAUSES
(B) and [(iii)] (C) OF SUBPARAGRAPH (I) of this paragraph.
  (IV) Except as [herein] provided IN THIS PARAGRAPH and notwithstanding
any  other  provision of law, neither the proceedings nor the records of
any such physician committee shall be subject to disclosure under  arti-
cle  thirty-one of the civil practice law and rules nor shall any member
of any such committee nor any person in attendance at any  such  meeting
be required to testify as to what transpired thereat.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, that the amend-
ments  to  paragraph  (g) of subdivision 11 of section 230 of the public
health law, made by section one of this act, shall not affect the repeal
of such paragraph, and shall be deemed repealed therewith; and provided,
further, that the amendments to subparagraphs (v) and (vi) of  paragraph
(g)  of  subdivision 11 of section 230 of the public health law, made by
section one of this act, shall not affect the repeal  of  such  subpara-
graphs, and shall be deemed repealed therewith.