Relates to the reporting of lyme and tick-borne disease infection after death

Latest action Mar 5, 2026

Relates to the reporting of lyme and tick-borne disease infection after death.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Amends the Public Health Law.

Committee

Health · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Health · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Relates to reporting Lyme and tick-borne disease infections after death

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMar 5, 2026Result: passed
(59) (0) (0) (4)
Vote: Committee vote · Health
Senate HealthFeb 4, 2026Result: passed
(14) (0) (0) (1)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateFeb 24, 2025Result: passed
(60) (0) (0) (3)
Vote: Committee vote · Health
Senate HealthJan 21, 2025Result: passed
(14) (0) (0) (1)

Cosponsors

Dan Stec, Pamela Helming and 4 more on Agora

Republican4
Democratic2

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Pete Harckham says this is needed

In August 2017, the Senate Task Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases, in conjunction with the Senate Standing Committee on Health conducted a public hearing regarding the public health threats posed by Lyme and tick-borne diseases in New York State. In part, the hearing was prompted by infections and deaths in Upstate counties of Powassan virus, a deadly tick-borne infection that has continued to be identified through surveillance by the Health Department. At the hearing, the Commissioner of Health and other Department staff indicated that the statistics on Lyme and tick-borne diseases may under count the total number of deaths because these infections exacerbate pre-existing conditions and may not be listed as the precipitating cause of death. Nevertheless, these infections seriously compromise patient health and have been noted by public health authorities to pose fatal risks. As such, it is important that in cases where Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses underlie the primary cause of death, such cases are reported as infections to the Health Department for appropriate surveillance and statistical accounting.

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

Mar 5, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Mar 5, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Mar 5, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HEALTH
NY Assembly
Feb 9, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Feb 5, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate

Show full history (10 earlier events)

Feb 4, 2026
1ST Report CAL.279
1ST REPORT CAL.279
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HEALTH
NY Senate
Feb 24, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Feb 24, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Feb 24, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HEALTH
NY Assembly
Jan 27, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Jan 22, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Jan 21, 2025
1ST Report CAL.123
1ST REPORT CAL.123
NY Senate
Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HEALTH
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 28, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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