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Senate mental health committee advances five bills including social-worker pilot, records protections and first-responder peer support
Summary
The Senate Mental Health Committee moved five bills forward on March 5, 2025: S.1727 (social-worker pilot), S.1728 (guardianship records disclosure), S.4713 (access to deceased patients' records after 50 years), and S.5407 (first responder peer support). All were reported either to finance or to first reading, mostly by voice votes.
The Senate Mental Health Committee advanced multiple bills at its March 5, 2025, meeting, using voice votes to move measures to the next legislative steps.
S.1727, introduced "to amend the Mental Hygiene Law in relation to establishing a social worker pilot program," was moved by Senator Webb and seconded by Senator Fernandez. The committee voted by voice and the bill was reported to the finance committee.
S.1728, described as an amendment "in relation to disclosure of the records of court proceedings," drew discussion from members including a request to consider limited access for non-guardian family members when appropriate. Senator Palumbo and others noted the bill was drafted with county clerks to protect personal information in guardianship proceedings. Senator Palumbo said some out-of-state family members can be excluded from records access and suggested an expedited court application process. The motion to move S.1728 was made by Senator Webb, seconded by Senator Fernandez, and the bill was reported to first reading.
S.4713, an amendment "in relation to allowing direct descendants of a patient who has been deceased for a period of 50 years or longer to access such patient's medical records," was moved by Senator Fitzpatrick and seconded by Senator Webb. The bill was reported to first reading after a voice vote.
S.5407, the First Responder Peer Support Program Act, introduced by Senator Harcombe, was discussed briefly in support. The motion was recorded and seconded by Senator Plumbaugh; the bill was reported to finance.
Procedural notes: most actions were taken by voice vote and the transcript records the clerk's entries that each bill was "reported to finance" or "reported to first reading." The transcript does not include roll-call tallies.
