What's happening
This bill makes it easier for municipalities and fire districts to get permanent certification for advanced life support or ambulance services by removing certain need determinations and expanding eligibility.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility for permanent certification. to all municipalities and fire districts in New York, not just those in certain population brackets, potentially allowing more local governments to operate their own advanced life support or ambulance services.
Removes the requirement for a regional or state “determination of need”. for municipalities and fire districts seeking permanent certification, simplifying and speeding up the approval process.
Shifts the focus of state review. from proving community need to ensuring compliance with training, staffing, and equipment standards, with the only grounds for denial being failure to meet these standards or causing negative impacts on surrounding emergency services.
Applies retroactively. to municipalities and fire districts currently holding temporary certifications or involved in appeals, which could resolve ongoing disputes or delays in service authorization.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ease Ambulance Service Approvals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 45
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
- 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.
Ease Ambulance Service Certification
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Kevin Cahill
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
760
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. LITTLE -- 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 the provision of municipal advanced life support first responder service or municipal ambulance service
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section 3008 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 464 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
(b) [In the case of an application for certification pursuant to this subdivision, for a municipal advanced life support or municipal ambulance service, to serve the area within the municipality, where the proposed service meets or exceeds the appropriate training, staffing and equipment standards, there shall be a strong presumption in favor of approving the application.] Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, any [city with a population of fourteen thousand seven hundred or sixty-two thousand two hundred thirty-five, according to the two thousand ten federal decennial census, or fire district acting on behalf of any such city, that] municipality within this state, or fire district acting on behalf of any such municipality, which applies for permanent certification pursuant to this [section] subdivision at the conclusion of the two year period [provided in] contained in paragraph (a) of this subdivision, shall not be required to apply to its regional emergency medical services council [or the state emergency medical services council] for a determination of need, and the application shall be submitted to and such application for a municipal advanced life support or municipal ambulance service to serve the area within the municipality shall be approved by the commissioner unless the [commissioner finds that the municipal advanced life support first responder service or municipal ambulance service has] provision of services have failed to meet the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00387-01-7
S. 760 2
appropriate training, staffing and equipment standards and/or the commissioner determines that the municipal advanced life support first responder service or municipal ambulance service has caused an impact on services in the surrounding region.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any municipality or fire district that has a temporary determination of public need, any application made by a municipality or fire district that is currently in the administrative appellate process or on appeal before any court of competent jurisdiction.
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 the provision of municipal advanced life support first responder service or municipal ambulance service
Purpose
This bill provides that a municipality or a fire district acting on behalf of a municipality, and acting through its local legislative body, is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt and amend local laws, ordinances, or resolutions to establish and operate advanced life support first response services or municipal ambulance services within the municipality or fire district when they meet or exceed all standards set by the department for appropriate training, staffing, and equipment and upon filing with the New York State Emergency Medical Services Council, a written request for such authorization. Upon filing, the municipal pal advanced life-support first responder service or municipal ambulance service shall be deemed to have fulfilled all the requirements for a determination of public need for two years. At the conclusion of the two-year period this bill would require the Commissioner of Health to approve a subsequent application for permanent operating authority unless the municipality or fire district failed to meet the appropriate standards set by the department and/or has caused an impact on services in the surrounding region.
Summary of provisions
Subdivision 7 (b) of Section 3008 of the Public Health Law is amended by removing the requirement that a municipality or fire district apply to their requisite regional emergency medical services council for permanent operating authority at the conclusion of their initial two-year period and instead requires the Commissioner of Health to approve a subsequent application for permanent operating authority unless the municipality or fire district has failed to meet all standards set by the department for appropriate training, staffing and equipment.
Existing law
Currently, under § 3008 of the Public Health Law, municipalities, or fire districts acting on behalf of a municipality are granted a two-year presumption of need. Upon two years of operation and the expiration of the presumption, an application must be filed with a regional council for a determination of public need prior to the continued operation of a municipal advanced life support first response service or municipal ambulance service.
Justification
Municipalities that provide advanced life support first response services or municipal ambulance services have shown that their services reduce costs, increase efficiency, and generate revenue.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.3500 Referred to Health; A.1175 Referred to Health 2013-14: S.6515 Referred to Health; A.9852 Referred to Health
Fiscal implications
None
Local fiscal implications
Cost savings to local governments and potential generation of revenue to offset first responder services. In addition, localities currently operating advanced life support first response services or municipal ambulance services have used such service to offset large municipal tax increases under the new tax cap.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any municipality or fire district that has a temporary determination of public need, any application made by a municipality or fire district for a permanent operating certificate that is currently in the administrative appellate process or on appeal before any Court of competent jurisdiction.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.