What's happening
This bill creates a new 21-member Rural Health Council to advise on rural health care issues and requires public webcasting of its meetings.
Why it matters
Broad, diverse representation. The new council’s 21 members are appointed by multiple legislative leaders and the governor, ensuring a mix of perspectives from rural regions and health sector stakeholders. This structure aims to prevent domination by a single political interest, potentially leading to more balanced rural health policy recommendations.
Expertise-driven input. By requiring members with backgrounds in clinical care, health administration, financing, workforce education, and behavioral health, the council is positioned to provide informed, practical advice that reflects the complexities of rural health care delivery.
Accountability and transparency. Mandating live webcasts and archiving of meetings for public access increases government transparency, allowing rural residents and advocacy groups to monitor council discussions and influence policy debates.
Workforce and economic focus. The required annual reports to regional economic development councils on rural health workforce issues ensure that local economic needs and healthcare workforce challenges are regularly assessed, potentially guiding targeted investments and policy responses in struggling rural areas.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Rural Health Council
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by A7203
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1145
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Create Rural Health Council
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Billy Jones
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4741
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 27, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a rural health council
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 235 of the public health law, as added by chapter 630 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
4. "Rural health council" shall mean [that advisory body to the commissioner, created July, nineteen hundred eighty-eight, with members appointed by the governor] the rural health council established pursuant to section two hundred thirty-six-b of this title.
§ 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 236-b to read as follows:
§ 236-b. Rural health council. 1. There shall be established within the office a rural health council to be composed of twenty-one members who shall be appointed as follows:
a. five members by the temporary president of the senate;
b. two members by the minority leader of the senate;
c. five members by the speaker of the assembly;
d. two members by the minority leader of the assembly; and
e. seven members by the governor.
Vacancies in the membership of such council shall be filled by the appropriate appointing authority. The rural health council shall select a chairperson from among its members. The members of the council shall be reflective of the state's rural areas, as defined in subdivision seven of section four hundred eighty-one of the executive law, and shall include representatives of health care providers that comprise the health care delivery system in the state's rural areas, individuals with expertise in clinical and administrative aspects of health care delivery, health care financing and reimbursement, health care regulation,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10087-03-7
S. 4741 2
public health, health planning, health workforce education, and behavioral health.
2. The rural health council shall be responsible for advising the commissioner with respect to all aspects of rural health care and rural health care delivery including, but not limited to, the impact of proposed programs, statutes, regulations and health care reimbursement policies. The rural health council shall also assist the office with its responsibilities as delineated in section two hundred thirty-six of this title; contribute to the biennial report required pursuant to section two hundred thirty-seven of this title, and act as liaison and advocate on rural health matters.
3. At least annually the rural health council shall, in conjunction with the office, submit a report to the regional economic development councils on the status of the health care workforce supply in their respective regions.
4. Staff support for the rural health council shall be provided for by the office as provided for in section two hundred thirty-six of this title.
5. The rural health council shall meet as frequently as its business may require, but not less than two times a year. Meetings may be called by the chairman or at the request of the commissioner.
6. The entirety of each meeting of the rural health council shall be live webcast to the public on the department's website, and archived on the department's website, for a period of no less than two years, within twenty-four hours of the adjournment of the last meeting. The department shall provide notice to the public, via the department's website, of the availability of the live webcast of each such meeting.
7. The members of the rural health council shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a rural health council
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to amend the public health law to create a statutory Rural Health Council within the Department of Health to advise the Commissioner on all aspects of rural health care.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends section 235 of the public health law to have the existing definition of the council reference section 2 of the bill.
Section 2 of the bill adds a new section 236-b to establish the rural health council in with gubernatorial and legislative appointments. The Council is charged with advising the Commissioner of Health on all aspects of rural health care delivery as well as advocating for rural health care needs and assisting the Office of Rural Health with its delineated responsibilities. Members must come from rural areas of the state and have appropriate expertise. At least annually, the Council shall submit a report to the Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs), on the status of the health care workforce supply in their regions. The Council shall meet as frequently as its business may require, but at least two times a year. Meetings may be called by the Chairman or by the Commissioner. The meetings shall be live webcast and made available to the public. Members of the Council shall not receive any compensation but be allowed their actual and necessary expenses.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
The current rural health council within the Department of health was established in 1988 with members appointed by the Governor. This legislation seeks to focus the Councils efforts given significant changes to the state's health care system and the challenges those changes place on rural parts of our state.
The Council is best suited to provide guidance and expertise to the Department and the state in addressing the unique challenges for rural health care. This legislation places the Council in statute, adds legislative appointments, connects the work of the Council to the Regional Economic Development Councils and ensures that the meetings of the Council are webcast and achieved by the Department, as are other meetings.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
The Department of Health already holds and staffs rural council meetings.
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This bill is effective immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.