Senate bill · S1351 (2025-26)
Relates to requiring a referenced rate for prescription drugs
New York State Senate
Same as A2126, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Sponsor: Cordell Cleare (State Senator, District 30, Democratic)
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From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 18, 2026. About our data
Summary
Establishes a pilot program on the referenced rate for prescription drugs; relates to reducing the cost of prescription drugs by establishing maximum wholesale drug prices that are the same as the prices in Canada.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the Insurance Law.
Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
To create a three-year state pilot program that caps the price of the ten most expensive prescription drugs by referencing Canadian prices. This would allow the state to assess the utility of international refer- ence pricing as a tool to cap prescription drug prices.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Insurance · New York State Assembly
Also referred to Insurance · New York State Senate.
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Cosponsors
Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)- Democratic30
- Republican2
This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.
Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.
- Andrew Hevesi
- Angelo Santabarbara
- Chris Burdick
- Claire Valdez
- Dana Levenberg
- Diana Moreno
- Donna Lupardo
- Emily Gallagher
- Gabriella Romero
- Jabari Brisport
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas
- Jo Anne Simon
Show the full list (32 names)Show fewer cosponsors
The sponsor's argument
Why Cordell Cleare says this is needed
New Yorkers pay 3 times more for brand drugs than people in similar countries do. For example, the price of Xeljanz, a drug for rheumatoid arthritis, is 450% higher in the United States than in Canada. An effec- tive tool to address the cost of living crisis, especially for seniors, is to utilize international reference pricing in capping the price of a medication by comparing it to the price in a group of other reference countries. This bill creates a pilot program to cap prescription drug prices based on the prices that Canadians pay, so that we can assess the utility of international reference pricing as a tool to cap prescription drug prices.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Full history
- Jan 30, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Insurance
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO INSURANCE
NY Senate
- Jan 27, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Insurance
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO INSURANCE
NY Assembly
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INSURANCE
NY Assembly
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INSURANCE
NY Senate
- Jan 15, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INSURANCE
NY Assembly
Show full history (1 earlier event)Show less history
- Jan 9, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INSURANCE
NY Senate
Read the record
- Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.