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A 3733

Designates records and information relating to a patient who has been deceased for a period of fifty years or longer as historic records no longer subject to privacy protections

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Sam Berger and 3 co-sponsors

Designates records of patients who died 50+ years ago as historic, removing privacy protections and enabling broader public access for researchers and historians.

REFERRED TO RULES
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Bill Summary · A 3733

Summary of Assembly Bill A 3733 / A3733A

Overview

  • Purpose: The bill designates records and information relating to a patient who has been deceased for 50 years or longer as historic records. Once designated as historic, these records would no longer be subject to privacy protections.
  • What this means in plain terms: Medical and related records about individuals who died at least half a century ago would transition from protected health information to historical records that are not governed by privacy restrictions.

Key Provisions (as introduced in A 3733 / A3733A)

  • Creation of a historic-record designation for long-deceased patients: Any records and information about a patient whose death occurred 50 or more years prior would be categorized as historic records.
  • Removal of privacy protections: Once designated, those historic records would no longer be protected by the state’s privacy protections applicable to patient information.
  • Scope of records: Applies to records and information relating to the patient (specific types are not enumerated in the provided summary, but would include materials typically considered patient health information).

Note: The exact mechanisms for designation, access rules, and exemptions are not detailed in the available summary. The bill’s text would specify how records are identified, who may access them, and any safeguards.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Deceased patients: Individuals who died at least 50 years ago would have their records designated as historic and relieved of privacy protections.
  • Researchers, historians, and public institutions: Potentially broader public access to these records for historical, educational, or scholarly purposes.
  • Families and estates of the deceased: Possible concerns about privacy and sensitivity of historical data.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduced: January 30, 2025.
  • Legislative path: Referred to the Mental Health committee on January 30, 2025.
  • Amendments and status updates: On May 14, 2025, amendments (T) were made and the measure was printed as 3733A (referred to as A3733A in the amended form).
  • Related actions: There is a companion bill in the Senate (S 4713) and a related A bill from a prior session (A 10125).
  • Sponsor: Harry B. Bronson (primary sponsor).

Related Legislative Activity

  • Companions: S 4713 (Senate) and A 10125 (prior session) are noted as related.
  • Status note: The bill is currently in the print/amendment phase (A3733A) following committee referral.

Remarks

  • The bill aims to balance historical access with privacy protections by removing privacy constraints for very old records. The practical impact will depend on the final text's definitions, access rules, and any exceptions or safeguards for sensitive information or affected families.
  • Stakeholders may include researchers, archives, libraries, medical facilities, and privacy advocates, who will be watching for provisions detailing who may access these historic records and under what conditions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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