Requires general hospitals and nursing homes to offer free notarial services to patients; requires an employee of such general hospital or nursing home who is a notary public to be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on business days.
Summary
S03809 would amend the Public Health Law to require every general hospital and nursing home in New York to have, during business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., an employee on site who is a commissioned notary public. That employee would be required to offer notarial services to patients at no charge. The bill also makes clear that facilities may provide free notarial services outside those hours or on non-business days if they choose.
The measure is aimed at ensuring that patients in hospitals and nursing homes can access notarization for documents that often arise during medical care, such as advance directives, powers of attorney, or other legal paperwork. It would create a new section of the Public Health Law and apply to both general hospitals and nursing homes statewide, taking effect 30 days after enactment.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would impose an operational requirement on hospitals and nursing homes to maintain notary coverage during specified business hours and to provide those services without charge to patients. It would not change notary law generally, but it would add a facility-level obligation under the Public Health Law and could require institutions to train or designate staff as notaries, or otherwise ensure an employee notary is present. The affected parties would be general hospitals, nursing homes, and patients who need notarized documents while receiving care.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded debate or formal vote history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears consumer- and patient-service oriented, with a straightforward access-to-services rationale rather than a controversial policy change. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided materials suggests the bill was introduced as a targeted administrative requirement.
Contention
The main potential points of contention would likely involve implementation burdens on hospitals and nursing homes, including staffing, scheduling, and ensuring a properly commissioned notary is available during the required hours. Facilities may also raise concerns about costs associated with training, credentialing, or coverage, even though the service itself must be free to patients. On the other side, patient advocates and families would likely support the measure because it improves access to important legal documents during hospitalization or long-term care.
Same As
Requires general hospitals and nursing homes to offer free notarial services to patients; requires an employee of such general hospital or nursing home who is a notary public to be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on business days.
Requires general hospitals and nursing homes to offer free notarial services to patients; requires an employee of such general hospital or nursing home who is a notary public to be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on business days.
Requires general hospitals and nursing homes to offer free notarial services to patients; requires an employee of such general hospital or nursing home who is a notary public to be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on business days.