Requires patient hospital admissions form to allow patient to designate a domestic partner with the same privileges as a next-of-kin respecting authorizing surgery

Summary

The bill amends New York’s public health law so that when a patient is admitted to a general hospital, staff must ask if the patient wants to designate a domestic partner to act like a next‑of‑kin for visitation and authorizing surgery if the patient becomes incapacitated. The designation is recorded on the admission form but does not give the partner any greater authority than a true next‑of‑kin, and existing health‑care proxies or living wills take precedence.

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