Section 2500-B. Sudden infant death syndrome

(a) Declaration of policy.
    Occurrence of sudden deaths of infants is a tragedy for the child, the
  family  and  the  community, and a matter of vital concern to the public
  health.  In order to provide for the protection  and  promotion  of  the
  health  of  the inhabitants of the state, the department of health shall
  have the central and comprehensive responsibility  for  the  development
  and administration of the state's policy with respect thereto.
    (b)  The  commissioner  shall  establish a program to study the sudden
  deaths of infants which are unexpected by medical history, and for which
  adequate causes of death have not been demonstrated.
    (c) Such program may initially consist of pilot projects  which  shall
  include  epidemiological investigation, family counseling and evaluation
  in order to identify the major risk factors in sudden infant deaths with
  the objective of preventing such deaths.