I think the key word here is “mandate”, who is being mandated to cover this, the counties, cities, towns? As far as I’m concerned if the state passes anything it should be funded by the state, they have a history of forcing localities to pay for programs driving up our local taxes so they can say our state taxes are low. Then they tell us to look at our local governments to cut taxes, what a shell game they play.

Although this is needed the funding question weighs heavy on my mind.

Assembly will pass Timothy’s Law: Silver - The Business Review (Albany):
The speaker of the New York state Assembly says his chamber will stick by its agreement with the state Senate to pass the health-care policy mandate known as “Timothy’s Law.”

Sheldon Silver (D-N.Y.) said passage of the bill may have to wait until after the first of the year.

The state Senate last week approved the bill, which requires coverage of mental health conditions for employers and their dependents. The Senate had promised to do so under a deal it reached with the Assembly on the last day of the regular legislative session in June.

Silver said he will follow through on the deal.

“The next time we are in session we will effectuate that agreement, whether it’s the end of the year or the beginning of next year,” he said.

The Senate dropped its opposition to the mandate bill after the Assembly agreed to remove mandated coverage for drug and alcohol treatment. The Assembly also agreed to make the new coverage requirement a temporary program that will be revisited in two years to see how effective it has been.