Relates to state appropriations to the state university of New York and the city university of New York

Justification

State support for SUNY's health science centers as created more than 20 years ago to recognize that the State has a responsibility to at least partially compensate these hospitals for their service to indigent populations and for the role they play in providing unique life saving services not generally offered by private hospitals. These include burn units serving as the poison control centers and the major trauma centers for their regions and other vital services. Moreover, they fulfill an important academic mission in producing many of the State's physicians and other medical professionals.

While SUNY's hospital are a major part of the State University and play a critical role in providing essential health care service to the State and communities they serve, the State has consistently reduced funding to these institutions over the last decade. In 2010, State support was reduced by almost 47 percent. These cuts have placed these institutions in serious financial jeopardy and have threatened their ability to carry out their health care service and academic missions. The enactment of this legislation is necessary to clarify that the Legislature intended for the health science centers to be part of the State's maintenance of effort provision pursuant to the NY SUNY 2020 legislation enacted in 2011, so that at a minimum, they will receive prior year levels of funding from the State. While this legislation will not solve the financial problems of these institutions, it is desperately needed to help stop the bleeding of state disinvestment to these critical state facilities.

This bill also clarified what is to be include in the MOE besides the SUNY hospitals. It shall include collective bargaining costs including salary increments, fringe benefits and other non personal services costs such as utility costs and other inflationary expenses incurred by the State University and the City University.

When the Governor vetoed this bill in 2015, he stated that he wanted to discuss maintenance of effort in the context of the budget. In the 2016-17 enacted budget, maintenance of effort was ended entirely after this current fiscal year. The need for maintenance of effort is vital and considering the cuts that will occur to both SUNY and CUNY, the State must provide its share of support and show its commitment to New York State Higher Education Systems.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

TBD

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately provide that: (a) the amendments to subparagraph 4 of paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law made b y section one of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such subparagraph pursuant to chapter 260 of the laws of 2011, as amended, when upon such date section two of this act shall take effect; and (b) the amendments to paragraph (a) of subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law made by section three of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such paragraph pursuant to chapter 260 of the laws of 2011, as amended, when upon such date section four of this act shall take effect.