Establishes a medetomidine, benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contaminants test strip program

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

                                          9001

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                  I N  A S S E M B L Y

                                     August 13, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

        AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation  to  establishing  a
          medetomidine,  benzodiazepine, nitazenes, and/or other harmful contam-
          inants test strip program

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

     1    Section  1.  The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new section
     2  19.47 to read as follows:
     3  § 19.47 MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES,  AND/OR  OTHER  HARMFUL
     4            CONTAMINANTS TEST STRIP PROGRAM.
     5    1.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS MAY
     6  RECEIVE, FREE OF CHARGE, DRUG TEST STRIPS  TO  DETECT  THE  PRESENCE  OF
     7  CONTAMINANTS  SUCH  AS  MEDETOMIDINE,  BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES, AND/OR
     8  OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS.   THE  FOLLOWING  FACILITIES  MAY  APPLY  TO
     9  DISTRIBUTE SUCH TEST STRIPS FOR MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES,
    10  AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS:
    11    (A) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS;
    12    (B) ADDICTION TREATMENT FACILITIES;
    13    (C) FACILITIES FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PROGRAMS;
    14    (D) HOMELESS SHELTERS;
    15    (E) URGENT CARE CENTERS;
    16    (F) MOBILE MEDICATION UNITS;
    17    (G)  TREATMENT  FACILITIES AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH FIVE OF SUBDIVISION
    18  (A) OF SECTION 22.09 OF THIS TITLE; AND
    19    (H) ANY OTHER SETTING, AS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE, WHICH IS ROUTINELY
    20  ACCESSED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
    21    2. INDIVIDUALS SHALL NOT BE TARGETED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY  ARE
    22  OBTAINING  TEST  STRIPS  FOR  MEDETOMIDINE,  BENZODIAZEPINE,  NITAZENES,
    23  AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS AT THE FACILITIES PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
    24  SION ONE OF THIS SECTION.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13552-02-5
        A. 9001                             2

     1    3. THE COMMISSIONER, IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE
     2  DEPARTMENT  OF  HEALTH, SHALL DEVELOP AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC AWARENESS AND
     3  EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON THE  DANGERS  OF  MEDETOMIDINE,  BENZODIAZEPINE,
     4  NITAZENES,  AND/OR  OTHER  HARMFUL  CONTAMINANTS.    SUCH CAMPAIGN SHALL
     5  DETAIL WHERE MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES, AND/OR OTHER HARM-
     6  FUL  CONTAMINANTS  MAY  BE  FOUND  AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FREE TEST
     7  STRIPS FOR MEDETOMIDINE, BENZODIAZEPINE, NITAZENES, AND/OR OTHER HARMFUL
     8  CONTAMINANTS AT THE FACILITIES REFERENCED IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  THIS
     9  SECTION.
    10    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    11  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
    12  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    13  tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
    14  completed on or before such effective date.