2023 New York Laws › EXC - Executive › Article 45-B - Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Working Group › 958 - Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Working Group.

§  958. Lyme and tick-borne diseases working group. 1. There is hereby
created in the executive  department  a  Lyme  and  tick-borne  diseases
working group consisting of the:
(a) commissioner of health;
(b) commissioner of the office of mental health;
(c) commissioner of environmental conservation;
(d)  superintendent  of financial services, who shall serve ex officio
and who may designate representatives to act on their behalf; and
(e) six additional members to be appointed by the governor.
2. The governor shall also appoint eight members to the working  group
on the recommendation of the legislative leaders as follows:
(a)  the  temporary  president  of  the  senate  shall recommend three
members;
(b) the speaker of the assembly shall recommend three members;
(c) the minority leader of the senate shall recommend one member; and
(d) the minority leader of the assembly shall recommend one member.
3. Members appointed to the working group shall include,  but  not  be
limited  to,  at  least  one of each of the following, each of whom must
have experience working with  issues  related  to  Lyme  and  tick-borne
diseases:
(a) an infectious disease specialist;
(b) a general practitioner;
(c) a mental health practitioner;
(d) an entomologist;
(e) an epidemiologist;
(f) a representative of health insurance providers; and
(g) a representative of a tick-borne disease advocacy organization.
4. The commissioner of health shall serve, ex officio, as the chair of
the  working  group,  and the governor shall designate the vice chair of
the  working  group.  In  appointing  members  of  the  working   group,
appointing  authorities  shall  ensure  that  such  members, as a group,
represent diverse scientific perspectives relevant to the duties of  the
working  group. The members of the working group, except those who serve
ex officio,  shall  be  allowed  their  actual  and  necessary  expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties under this article but shall
receive  no  additional  compensation  for services rendered pursuant to
this article.
5. The working group, on call of the chair, shall meet at least  twice
each year and at such other times as may be necessary. The working group
may  establish  quorum  requirements  and  other  rules  and  procedures
regarding conduct of its meetings and other affairs.
6.  The  working  group  shall   have   the   following   powers   and
responsibilities:
(a)  review  current  best  practices for the diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, as well as  any  reports  or
recommendations  from  the  twenty-first  century  workgroup for disease
elimination and reduction, pursuant to section two hundred sixty-six  of
the public health law;
(b) provide recommendations including, but not limited to:
(i)  improvements  to  the delivery of care for patients and suspected
patients of  Lyme  and  tick-borne  diseases,  particularly  those  from
endemic areas of the state;
(ii)  collaborations  among  county  departments  of health to promote
effective strategies to combat Lyme and tick-borne  diseases,  including
best practices for prevention and reporting;
(iii) interagency collaborations to streamline state efforts to combat
the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases;
(iv)   identifying  opportunities  to  collaborate  with  the  federal
government, non-profit entities, or private  organizations  on  projects
addressing these diseases;
(v)  data collection and reporting requirements of Lyme and tick-borne
disease, including but not limited to, those for  healthcare  providers;
and
(vi)   any   other  regulations  or  guidelines  concerning  Lyme  and
tick-borne diseases; and
(c) prepare and issue a report on the  working  group's  findings  and
recommendations by May first, two thousand twenty-three to the governor,
the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.
7.  If  any  appointments  to  the working group are not made by April
fifteenth, two thousand nineteen, then the working group may proceed  to
meet  and  fulfill  its responsibilities, pursuant to paragraphs two and
three of this section, without such appointees.