Int 0969-2026

Int. No. 969 By Council Members Far�as and Louis ..Title A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a public education campaign on appointing a health care agent and personal representative of an estate before high-risk medical procedures ..Body Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-199.34 to read as follows: � 17-199.34 Patient education on appointing health care agent and personal representative. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: Health care agent. The term "health care agent" means an adult to whom authority to make health care decisions is delegated under a health care proxy. Health care provider. The term "health care provider" means an individual or facility licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or professional practice. Health care proxy. The term "health care proxy" means a document delegating the authority to make health care decisions, executed in accordance with the requirements in section 2981 of the public health law. High-risk medical procedure. The term "high-risk medical procedure" means any medical procedure where the patient has a substantial risk of a major complication or death. Personal representative. The term "personal representative" means a person who has been appointed and named in a will to be the duly authorized executor of the decedent's estate. b. Public education campaign. Within 1 year of the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner shall develop and implement a public education campaign to educate the public and health care providers who perform high-risk medical procedures on a patient's ability to appoint a health care agent and personal representative. The public education campaign shall include: 1. General information on the roles of health care agents and personal representatives and how a patient may appoint each role before undergoing a high-risk medical procedure; 2. A list of people who may be appointed as a healthcare agent or personal representative, including but not limited to relatives and friends; 3. How to end the appointment of a health care agent or personal representative if a patient does not wish it to continue after the completion of the high-risk medical procedure; and 4. Contact information for legal resources and legal services organizations that can assist in advising individuals in appointing a health care agent or personal representative. c. Health care provider outreach. The commissioner shall conduct outreach to health care providers who perform high-risk medical procedures in the city to encourage health care providers to share information about health care agents and personal representatives with a patient before the patient undergoes a high-risk medical procedure. The commissioner, in consultation with the New York city health and hospitals corporation, shall provide guidance on which procedures are considered high-risk medical procedures. d. The commissioner shall report to the council no later than 18 months from the effective date of this section on activities it has undertaken to educate the public and health care providers who perform high-risk medical procedures on health care agents and personal representatives. � 2. This local law takes effect immediately. CMB LS #22341 7/8/2026 12:26PM 1 1