New York Assembly Bill A02665

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/25
• Refer: 1/21/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Permits specialist assistants to prescribe controlled substances as a practitioner.

Summary

This bill would amend the New York Public Health Law to allow a registered specialist assistant, when acting in good faith, within their lawful scope of practice, and only to the extent assigned by a supervising physician, to prescribe controlled substances as a practitioner under Article 33. The authority would apply only to patients under the care of the supervising physician responsible for the assistant’s supervision. The bill also authorizes the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, to adopt regulations needed to implement the new prescribing authority. The measure would take effect 180 days after becoming law, with immediate authorization for any necessary rulemaking to prepare for implementation.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would expand the class of health professionals authorized to prescribe controlled substances in New York by adding registered specialist assistants to the list of practitioners under the state’s controlled substances framework. It would affect Public Health Law Article 33 and potentially related education and licensing regulations governing physician supervision, prescribing authority, and controlled substance oversight. Patients under supervising physicians could gain expanded access to prescriptions, while physicians and specialist assistants would assume additional compliance and supervisory responsibilities.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral and procedural rather than contested. The bill is framed as a scope-of-practice expansion intended to permit prescribing within a supervised clinical relationship, suggesting a policy rationale centered on access and workforce flexibility. No formal opposition or support is documented in the supplied record.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is whether specialist assistants should be permitted to prescribe controlled substances at all, given the heightened regulatory concerns associated with such medications. Supporters would likely emphasize improved access to care, efficiency, and the ability of supervised clinicians to meet patient needs, while opponents may raise concerns about patient safety, diversion, oversight, and whether the expansion is appropriate given the assistant’s training and role. The bill tries to address these concerns by limiting prescribing to the assistant’s lawful scope of practice, requiring supervision by a physician, and leaving implementation details to agency regulation.