What's happening
The bill expands and extends New York’s emergency medical care recertification program to include certified first responders and removes its pilot status.
Why it matters
Broadens eligibility for streamlined recertification. by including certified first responders—previously limited to EMTs and advanced EMTs—which could help address staffing shortages and support volunteer emergency services.
Eliminates region and population limits. by removing the “pilot” status and related restrictions, making the alternative recertification pathway available statewide and to first responders in larger cities, increasing uniform access.
Reduces administrative burdens. on emergency personnel by allowing recertification through continuing education and demonstrated competence, rather than requiring a written exam, which may help experienced providers stay active and improve retention.
Extends the program’s duration. by pushing its expiration date from 2019 to 2021, providing more time to evaluate its effectiveness and potentially paving the way for permanent adoption if successful.
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Who cares
Certified first responders
The bill would let them renew certification without a written exam if they meet continuous-practice, competency and continuing-education requirements.
Emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians
The bill would extend the recertification program’s expiration to July 1, 2021, and remove its pilot designation and regional requirements.
Municipal ambulance service employees in cities with over one million residents
The bill would remove the provision excluding them from the program.
State health commissioner and State Emergency Medical Services Council
The bill would require them to develop the expanded program and eliminate the commissioner’s annual legislative reporting requirement.
Headline styles
Add First Responders to Recertification
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Substituted by S6337A
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.417
- Rules report cal.417
- Reported
- Print number 8058a
- Amend (t) and recommit to rules
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- 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.
Expand EMS Recertification Program
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Gustavo Rivera
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8058--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH, GOTTFRIED, COLTON, SIMON, SMULLEN, CROUCH, DeSTEFANO, SALKA, D'URSO, FRONTUS, ORTIZ, BYRNE, BUTTENSCHON, COOK, BARRON, LUPARDO, LAWRENCE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- reported and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means -- reported and referred to the Committee on Rules -- Rules Committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to include certified first responders in a program relating to recertification of persons providing emergency medical care and removing the designation of such program as a pilot or demonstration program; and to amend chapter 459 of the laws of 1996, amending the public health law relating to recertification of persons providing emergency medical care, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2-b of section 3002 of the public health law, as added by chapter 459 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
2-b. The commissioner, in consultation with the state emergency medical services council, shall develop a [pilot] program [in at least six regions of the state (including the western New York and capital regions)] to allow certified first responders, emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians who have been in continuous practice, who have demonstrated competence in applicable behavioral and performance objectives, and who have demonstrated completion of appropriate continuing education, to renew their certification under subdivision two of this section without requiring the completion of a written examination. In implementing this program, the commissioner shall contract with and use the standards established by a nationally recognized organization that certifies certified first
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13115-02-9
A. 8058--A 2
responders, emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians. [However, no pilot program shall include employees of a municipal ambulance service in cities with a population over one million.] Renewals of certification under the [demonstration] program shall be deemed equivalent to renewals under subdivision two of this section for purposes of this article.
[Within one year of developing the demonstration program and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall report to the legislature on the impact of the program on the quality of patient care, the effectiveness of the program in retaining certified emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians, and the feasibility of replacing the state's certification program with a national certification program.]
§ 2. Section 2 of chapter 459 of the laws of 1996, amending the public health law relating to recertification of persons providing emergency medical care, as amended by section 26 of part D of chapter 57 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed July 1, [2019] 2021.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to subdivision 2-b of section 3002 of the public health law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such subdivision, and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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