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
S09897 would amend the Public Health Law to require every general hospital and nursing home in New York to have, during business days from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., an employee on site who is commissioned as a 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, but are not required to do so.
The measure is aimed at making it easier for hospitalized or long-term care patients to execute documents that often require notarization, such as advance directives, powers of attorney, health care proxies, or other legal papers. It would create a new section 2805-aa in the Public Health Law and would take effect 30 days after becoming law.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would impose a new operational requirement on general hospitals and nursing homes by mandating access to a notary public during specified weekday hours. It would not change the substantive law governing notarization itself, but it would expand patient access to notarial services and require affected facilities to ensure staffing or coverage by a commissioned notary employee. The practical impact would fall on hospitals, nursing homes, and patients who need notarized documents while receiving care.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the available record suggests a straightforward consumer-access measure with an administrative rather than controversial policy goal. The bill appears designed to help patients complete important paperwork without added cost or outside travel, which would likely be viewed favorably by patient advocates, families, and care facilities focused on discharge planning or end-of-life documentation. No opposing sentiment is documented in the provided materials.
Contention
No committee transcripts, votes, or formal opposition are included, so there is no recorded contention in the available materials. Potential points of concern, if raised, would likely involve the staffing burden on hospitals and nursing homes, the cost of ensuring a commissioned notary is available during business hours, and whether the mandate is necessary given existing access to outside notaries. The bill itself addresses one possible concern by allowing facilities to offer services beyond the required hours, but it does not provide an exemption or funding mechanism.
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.
Requires hospitals to obtain verbal and written informed consent from a patient or representative before including such patient's information in a general hospital facility directory.
Requires hospitals to obtain verbal and written informed consent from a patient or representative before including such patient's information in a general hospital facility directory.