What's happening
This bill allows Essex County to create cooperative agreements with local districts to jointly provide and finance emergency and ambulance services.
Why it matters
Enables local flexibility and partnerships. By allowing Essex County and its local districts to enter into cooperative agreements, the bill gives communities more options to address gaps or inefficiencies in emergency and ambulance service coverage.
May improve service quality and coverage. Joint financing and operations could help smaller or under-resourced districts access better equipment, personnel, or response times by pooling resources across jurisdictions.
Affects how costs are distributed. Only properties receiving the new joint service will be taxed for it, protecting areas already served by non-participating providers from double payment, and ensuring fairer allocation of costs.
Participation is voluntary. The bill protects local autonomy—no existing district is forced to join or give up their own services, reducing concerns about loss of control or unwanted consolidation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Essex EMS Cooperation
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.395
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.489
- Substituted for A4676B
- Referred to ways and means
- Returned to assembly
- Repassed senate
- Amended on third reading (t) 1997b
- Amended on third reading (t) 1997a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
Show 11 earlier actions
- Returned to senate
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to local governments
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.1155
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Notice of committee consideration - withdrawn
- Notice of committee consideration - requested
- Referred to local government
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.
Allow EMS Joint Agreements
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Dan Stec
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1997--B Cal. No. 1155
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 18, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LITTLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -committee discharged and said bill committed to the Committee on Rules -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to a third reading, passed by Senate and delivered to the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered, restored to third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading -- again amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT in relation to permitting Essex county to enter into a municipal cooperative agreement for emergency medical services and general ambulance services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Essex county may enter into a municipal cooperative agreement, subject to the provisions of article 5-G of the general municipal law, with any municipal corporation, fire district, fire protection district, or ambulance district within the county, in order to finance and provide an emergency medical service, a general ambulance service or a combination of such services, as a joint service, pursuant to section 122-b of the general municipal law, and subject to the restrictions of subdivision 4 of section 209-b of the general municipal law. Pursuant to the municipal cooperative agreement and in the manner provided in section 122-b of the general municipal law, Essex county may contract with one or more individuals, associations, or other organizations to implement the municipal cooperative agreement authorized by this act. The expenses of providing such joint service shall be assessed, levied and collected from all lots and parcels of land within the county which receive such joint service provided, however, that such charges shall not be assessed on any lot or parcel that receives emergency medical service, general ambulance service or a combination of such services from a municipal corporation, fire district, fire protection district or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05893-05-9
S. 1997--B 2
ambulance district that is not a party to the municipal cooperative agreement. Nothing herein shall be construed as mandating the participation of any existing municipal corporation, fire district, fire protection district or ambulance district which currently provides such services.
§ 2. 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 in relation to permitting Essex county to enter into a municipal cooperative agreement for emergency medical services and general ambulance services
Purpose
This bill would authorize Essex County to enter into a municipal cooper- ative agreement for emergency medical services, general ambulance services or a combination of both.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 allows Essex County to enter into a municipal cooperative agreement for the financing and operation of general ambulance services or a combination of such services.
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
Justification
According to the New York State Department of Health, a 2013 analysis showed that the average scene to destination time throughout New York State was 13.16 minutes. However, in Essex County, the response time was 25.55 minutes. These delayed response times pose a great threat of saving lives, protecting property and encouraging the recruitment and retention of volunteers in Essex County. It is at a crisis level.
This bill was requested by the Essex County Board of Supervisors and it seeks to improve the quality of emergency medical services in Essex County and encourage recruitment and retention of volunteers to ensure the protection and well-being of all local residents.
Legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.