Relates to creating a wholesale prescription drug importation program

Latest action Feb 24, 2026

Creates a wholesale prescription drug importation program which complies with federal standards and regulations for the purpose of generating substantial savings for consumers.

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

Same as A4604, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Public Health Law.

Committee

Health · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Health · New York State Senate, Higher Education · New York State Assembly, Higher Education · New York State Senate, Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Creates a wholesale prescription drug importation program that complies with federal standards and regulations, generating substantial consumer savings.

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

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateFeb 24, 2026Result: passed
(53) (3) (0) (7)
Vote: Committee vote · Health
Senate HealthFeb 9, 2026Result: passed
(14) (0) (0) (1)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 20, 2025Result: passed
(56) (5) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Finance
Senate FinanceMar 11, 2025Result: passed
(20) (1) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Health
Senate HealthJan 21, 2025Result: passed
(14) (0) (0) (1)

The sponsor's argument

Why James Skoufis says this is needed

Concern about drug pricing is at an all-time high. Studies show how the U.S. Consumers pay the highest prices in the world for life-saving and enhancing drug treatments. The prices we pay may fund the research and development that benefits the entire world. Still, those same prices make treatment options unavailable here at home if patients cannot afford their medicines or public programs cannot finance expensive treatments for everyone in need. Drug importation is high on the list of solutions the public wants to pursue. Federal law allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to certify programs for personal and wholesale importation from countries such as Canada if consumer safety is on par with the U.S. drug supply chain system, and significant consumer cost savings are realized. Under federal law, shipments from Canada, for example, will be tested on a sample basis for purity and potency. Products would be appropriately labeled for the U.S. market and distributed to retail pharmacies and other settings included in the program. As in the regular commercial market, retail pharmacies and other dispensing settings order and pay for products and administrative costs set by the Commissioner. The prod- uct acquisition cost will be the Canadian price. Pharmacies and other dispensers will charge the Canadian price without markup, except for cost-based dispensing fees for uninsured people or people in their deductible period. Health plans and other payers will pay dispensers for the product at the Canadian price without markup, except for the cost- based dispensing fee. Medical care is a fundamental fact of life at some point or another, but the burden of paying for that care should not, on its own, be the death of us.

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

Feb 24, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Feb 24, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Feb 24, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Feb 11, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Feb 10, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate

Show full history (14 earlier events)

Feb 9, 2026
1ST Report CAL.302
1ST REPORT CAL.302
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HEALTH
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
May 20, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Apr 14, 2025
Reference Changed to Higher Education
REFERENCE CHANGED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Mar 13, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Mar 12, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Mar 11, 2025
1ST Report CAL.523
1ST REPORT CAL.523
NY Senate
Feb 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
Jan 21, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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 Nov 1, 2026. About our data

Read the record

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

Your position

Your position on this bill