New York legislation · 2025-2026 General Assembly
New York A697: Prohibits the use of the term "excited delirium" as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death
Status: In committee, January 13, 2026
Prohibits the use of the term "excited delirium" as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death on death certificates, autopsy reports, police reports or any report, policy or procedure by a public agency or contractor; defines excited delirium.
What the bill says
An act to amend the public health law, the county law, the executive law and the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting the use of the term excited delirium as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death.
From the amended text, January 13, 2026:
AN ACT to amend the public health law, the county law, the executive law and the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting the use of the term excited delirium as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 4141 of the public health law is amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows: (E) NO DEATH CERTIFICATE SHALL CITE EXCITED DELIRIUM AS A DIAGNOSIS, LABEL, CAUSE OF DEATH, OR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO ANY DEATH. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM "EXCITED DELIRIUM" SHALL MEAN A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE A PERSON'S STATE OF AGITATION, EXCITABILITY, PARANOIA, EXTREME AGGRESSION, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, AND APPARENT IMMUNITY TO PAIN THAT IS NOT LISTED IN THE MOST CURRENT VERSION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS, OR FOR WHICH THE COURT FINDS THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OR DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A MEDICAL CONDITION. EXCITED DELIRIUM ALSO INCLUDES EXCITED DELIRIUM SYNDROME, EXCITED DELIRIUM, HYPERACTIVE DELIRIUM, AGITATED DELIRIUM, AND EXHAUSTIVE MANIA. § 2. Section 677 of the county law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows: 2-A. NO REPORT OF ANY AUTOPSY OR OTHER EXAMINATION SHALL CITE EXCITED …
Sponsors
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D, 34) · primary sponsor
- Demond Meeks (D, 137)
- Harvey Epstein (D, 74)
- Maritza Davila (D, 53)
- Nikki Lucas (D, 60)
- Jennifer Lunsford (D, 135)
- Jo Simon (D, 52)
- Karines Reyes (D, 87)
- Alex Bores (D, 73)
- Sarah Clark (D, 136)
- Alfred Taylor (D, 71)
- Linda Rosenthal (D, 67)
Latest actions
- : AMENDED ON THIRD READING 697A
- : ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.27
- : SUBSTITUTED BY S1714
- : ORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.413
- : RULES REPORT CAL.413
- : REPORTED
- : REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
- : REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES
- : REFERRED TO HEALTH
Subjects: Public Health Law
Common questions
- What is A697?
- A697 is a bill in the New York Legislature (2025-2026 General Assembly): Prohibits the use of the term "excited delirium" as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death.
- What does A697 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend the public health law, the county law, the executive law and the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting the use of the term excited delirium as a diagnosis, label, or cause of death.
- What is the status of A697?
- In committee as of January 13, 2026. Latest action: AMENDED ON THIRD READING 697A (January 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored A697?
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D, 34), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for A697?
- On the New York Legislature website: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A697
Source: official New York record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.