A new law championed by the New York chapter of ACEP (NYACEP) requires hospitals in the state to establish violence prevention programs. The legislation (A203A and S5294A), taking effect in September 2026, requires the programs to include annual workplace safety assessments in adherence with regulatory requirements established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and security presence in the emergency department.
“NYACEP is extremely proud to advocate for this legislation, which is an enormous win for emergency medicine. Aligning with like-minded constituents strengthened our voice and helped us fight for emergency medicine and the patients we serve.
We still have more work to do. This is just the first of many steps needed to address workplace violence so emergency departments can be safe for faculty, staff, and patients.”
—Penelope Chun Lema, MD, FACEP, NYACEP President-Elect
The law passed due to coordinated advocacy efforts led by NYACEP. For more than three years, NYACEP worked with legislators in support of the bill, including providing input on key provisions. Nurses throughout the state, including the New York State Emergency Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association of New York, aligned with NYACEP’s efforts, and more than 70 emergency departments across the state endorsed the legislation through the NY ACEP Workplace Violence Prevention Alliance.
The law is the latest in a series of victories ACEP and ACEP chapters have spearheaded to confront the crisis of workplace violence in emergency departments. Most recently, ACEP convened a national coalition to urge CMS to issue clear guidance on anti-violence ED signage. ACEP is proud to lead the fight for protections for every member of emergency care teams nationwide.
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