Directs counties, in coordination with their regional emergency medical services councils, to develop and maintain comprehensive county emergency medical system plans that provide for coordinated emergency medical systems within such counties.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8086A
SPONSOR: Otis (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to directing
counties to develop and maintain comprehensive county emergency medical
system plans
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes an emergency medical services local planning process to
provide for counties, cities, towns, and villages to develop a compre-
hensive plan to provide for a coordinated emergency medical services
within their counties.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new subdivision 6 to section 122-b of the general
municipal law to require counties, in coordination with their regional
emergency medical services council, to work with the municipalities
within the county to develop a comprehensive plan to provide for a coor-
dinated emergency medical system within that county. The planning proc-
ess shall include assessment of the existing level of emergency medical
services in each area of the county, a plan to increase or provide
service where additional service is needed, a determination as to what
organizational structure will be utilized to provide such service and
cost estimates to provide service in areas requiring service levels
greater than currently available.
Such plan shall specify which entity or entities, and which organiza-
tional structure will be utilized for providing such services and how
those costs will be assigned. Such plan may utilize municipal, intermu-
nicipal, not-for-profit or for-profit contract coverage, special
district, or regional agreements for providing service in each area of
the county. These plans shall be submitted within six months of the
effective date of this section and submitted to the department of health
and the state emergency medical services council for review and comment.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
The bill is amended to require only the local planning initiative.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York is facing a crisis in providing emergency medical services
(EMS) throughout the state, with programs closing, staffing pressures
increasing, and response times growing in some areas. Other areas are
functioning as New Yorkers have a right to expect. Reform efforts have
been discussed for several years without agreement on a path forward. To
advance this process, this legislation focuses on establishing a local
review and planning process involving counties, cities, towns, and
villages directed towards assessing service levels in each of their
counties and developing a plan to move us forward to ensure every New
Yorker is provided reliable service.
The mandate for this process will be to have local governments assess
the existing level of service, 'develop a plan to increase service where
additional service is needed, a determination of what organizational
structure will be utilized to provide services in each area of the coun-
ty, and cost estimates to provide such service. The goal of the legis-
lation is to provide a county-by-county assessment that will provide a
roadmap for statewide improvements in providing EMS service going
forward. The process can be matched with efforts to develop a statewide
plan that matches the variety of ways services are provided throughout
New York.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S4020C/A3392C, passed Senate, died in Assembly
2021-2022: S8432A/A9509A, referred to Local Government
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Minimal fiscal impact to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
