What's happening
This bill appropriates $50 million to New York City agencies to enforce laws combating legionnaires' disease.
Why it matters
Significant investment in public health infrastructure. The $50 million appropriation will give New York City agencies the resources to more aggressively inspect, monitor, and enforce regulations on water systems and cooling towers—key sources of legionnaires’ outbreaks.
Potential for faster response to outbreaks. Enhanced funding means city agencies can respond more rapidly to suspected legionnaires’ cases, possibly preventing the spread of this serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia.
Increased accountability and oversight. By specifying that funds are for enforcing existing laws and regulations, the bill supports greater compliance from property owners and businesses, which could reduce the risk of future outbreaks and public health emergencies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Legionnaires’ Disease Response
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3106
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 19, 2017
Introduced by Sen. SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT providing funding in cities having populations of one million or more for combating legionnaires' disease; appropriation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the New York City department of health and mental hygiene and the department of environmental protection, respectively, out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the local assistance account, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of enforcing all laws, rules and regulations designed to combat legionnaires' disease. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of the department of health and mental hygiene and the commissioner of environmental conservation in the manner prescribed by law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01031-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act providing funding in cities having populations of one million or more for combating legionnaires' disease; appropriation
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of the bill is to provide an appropriation of up to $50 million to cities with a population of one million to enable them to combat Legionnaires' disease.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill appropriates a sum of up to $50 million to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of enforcing all laws, rules and regulations designed to combat Legionnaires' disease and requires that the funds be drawn from the local assistance account.
Section 2 provides for this act to take effect immediately.
Justification
During the summer of 2015 the City of New York experienced the worst outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the history of our State's largest municipality. As of August 10, 2015, the outbreak had taken the lives of 12 New Yorkers and led to the hospitalization of 113 individuals with severe health complications directly attributable to the disease. Public health officials have stated that the deadly disease outbreak centered in the South Bronx resulted from mist from poorly maintained water cooling towers being inhaled by individuals with preexisting health conditions including compromised pulmonary and/ or immune systems.
While the latest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease is the largest and most deadly of its kind in New York history the disease has proven dangerous in the past with a dozen Bronx residents being sent to the hospital with Legionnaires' less than a year before. The recurring nature of the disease indicates the clear need to ensure that the appropriate professionals have the resources needed to protect the public health and prevent further deaths. Focused on the importance of combating the severe form of pneumonia commonly known as Legionnaires' disease - this legislation appropriates up to $50 million to the city agencies that are most directly responsible for ensuring that the necessary inspection of water cooling towers take place in New York City.
Prior legislative history
2016: S.7451- Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
Up to a maximum of $50 million in state funds will be spent with a much larger potential savings due to a reduction in the number of hospitalizations resulting from Legionnaires' disease.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.