Requires reporting of the tick-borne disease of Alpha-gal syndrome

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Otis

New York will require reporting of Alpha-gal syndrome and add it to tick-borne disease surveillance to improve monitoring and public health response.

RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

Summary of Bill A 11328 (2025-2026) – New York

Purpose and Intent

Establish Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) as a reportable tick-borne condition in New York.

Require health care practitioners and facilities to report diagnosed cases of AGS.

Expand the state’s tick-borne disease surveillance to include AGS in its formal reporting list.

Key Provisions and Changes

New reporting requirement

Adds AGS to the list of reportable diseases or conditions under the public health law.
Requires health care providers and facilities to report instances of AGS diagnosis to public health authorities.

Surveillance expansion

The state’s tick-borne disease surveillance report (maintained by the Department’s Bureau of Communicable Disease Control) will be expanded to include Alpha-gal syndrome.

Regulatory implementation

The Commissioner of Health is tasked with promulgating rules and regulations to define AGS as a reportable condition and to implement the reporting requirements for diagnosis.

What Is Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS)?

AGS is described as a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic condition triggered by a tick bite (specifically a reaction to alpha-gal, a sugar molecule found in red meat and some other products). The bill ensures cases are systematically reported and tracked for surveillance and public health purposes.

Affected Entities

Health care practitioners (physicians, nurses, clinic staff, etc.)

Health care facilities (hospitals, urgent care centers, labs, etc.)

Public health department (Department of Health) through its Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, which will receive reports and maintain surveillance data.

Procedural and Timeline Details

Effective date: The act becomes law 180 days after enactment.

Implementation steps:

The Commissioner will develop and issue rules/regulations to define AGS as a reportable condition and to establish reporting procedures.
The Commissioner will update the tick-borne disease surveillance list to include AGS.

Status and progression (per bill history):

Introduced May 11, 2026, referred to Health.
Passed the Assembly (May 28, 2026); delivered to Senate.
Passed the Senate (June 1, 2026) and returned to Assembly.
Substituted and certified for final passage in June 2026.

Potential Impact

Improved public health awareness and data collection for AGS.

Enhanced ability to monitor incidence, trends, and outcomes of AGS in New York.

Better allocation of resources for prevention, diagnosis, and management of AGS through formal surveillance.

Standardized reporting may improve clinician and facility compliance and data consistency across jurisdictions.

Notes

The bill’s language emphasizes regulatory creation of reporting requirements and enrollment of AGS into the existing tick-borne disease surveillance framework.

Specific reporting forms, timelines, and case definitions would be established by the Commissioner’s regulations to accompany the statute.