Section 80.01. Legislative findings and purpose

The legislature hereby finds and declares that timely access to health
  care  for people who are mentally disabled is an important objective for
  New York state;  that  the  autonomy  of  persons  with  decision-making
  capacity to make health care decisions for themselves must be respected;
  and  that,  in  cases  involving  persons  with impaired decision-making
  capacity, efforts should be made to ensure that  health  care  decisions
  are  based  on  the  best  interests  of the patient and reflect, to the
  extent possible, the patient's own  personal  beliefs  and  values.  The
  legislature  further  finds  that  the exclusive utilization of judicial
  authorization to obtain  consent  for  medical  care  for  the  mentally
  disabled  has  in some cases resulted in undue delay in the provision of
  necessary care, needlessly  jeopardizing  the  health  of  the  mentally
  disabled.  The  legislature  further  finds and declares that the public
  interest  will  be  served  by  the   establishment   of   a   statewide
  quasi-judicial  surrogate decision-making process, which would determine
  patient capacity to consent to or refuse medical  treatment  and  assess
  whether  the  proposed  treatment promotes the patient's best interests,
  consistent with the patient's values and preferences. The  process  will
  strengthen  the  surrogate  decision-making  role  of  parents and other
  family members, while assuring that those individuals without  available
  family members have access to medical care.