What's happening
This bill creates a grant program to help volunteer ambulance services in New York buy equipment and improve facilities.
Why it matters
Targets volunteer ambulance services statewide. , potentially boosting emergency response especially in rural and underserved areas where volunteers are crucial, by providing competitive grants for equipment and facilities.
Establishes transparency and accountability. by requiring detailed public reporting after each grant cycle, including which municipalities and counties receive funds, how much is awarded, and current staffing levels—giving policymakers and the public new insight into EMS needs and investments.
Creates a new recurring funding mechanism. (subject to state budget appropriations) that could modernize EMS infrastructure, support recruitment/retention through facility upgrades and EMT rehab equipment, and foster long-term sustainability for volunteer ambulance providers in New York.
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Who cares
Volunteer Ambulance Services
These groups stand to benefit directly from increased funding for infrastructure, equipment, and facilities, which can help sustain and enhance their ability to deliver emergency medical services.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Volunteers
The bill could improve working conditions, training opportunities, equipment, and facilities for current and prospective EMTs, making it easier to recruit and retain volunteers.
Municipal Governments and Rural Communities
Especially in areas dependent on volunteer EMS, local governments and residents would gain from improved emergency response capabilities and potentially faster, higher-quality care.
Patients and the General Public
Improved EMS infrastructure and equipment can lead to better service delivery, shorter response times, and enhanced public health and safety for all communities served by volunteer ambulance services.
Headline styles
Fund Volunteer EMS Equipment
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11719
IN ASSEMBLY
September 16, 2026
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Kay) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the volunteer emergency medical services infrastructure and response equipment grant program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3002-b to read as follows:
§ 3002-b. Volunteer emergency medical services infrastructure and response equipment grant program. 1. There is hereby established within the New York state emergency medical services council, the volunteer emergency medical services infrastructure and response equipment grant program. The grant program shall be administered by the commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency services for the purpose of awarding capital grants to support projects which sustain or enhance emergency medical service operations, infrastructure and equipment, including but not limited to buildings, training facilities, technology and vehicles.
2. Subject to appropriation, grants shall be awarded each grant application cycle on a competitive basis through an application process. The commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency services shall provide updated information regarding the grant application cycle, available funding, and additional grant information deemed relevant by the commissioner prior to each grant application cycle.
3. Eligible entities that are located within the state and which serve one or more municipalities in the state may apply for the grant program.
4. Each grant application cycle shall provide grants to:
(a) eligible facility projects; and
(b) eligible equipment projects.
5. The commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency services shall publish a report on the grant application cycle no later than the thirtieth day after such grant application cycle has ended. The
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16320-01-6
report shall be published on the agency's website and shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
(a) the total available funding for the grant application cycle;
(b) the total number of applicants who applied for a grant during the grant application cycle and, for each applicant:
(i) the total number of active emergency medical technicians and inactive emergency medical technicians in each voluntary ambulance service; and
(ii) the total amount requested per project type, per county; and
(c) a list of all awardees which shall include:
(i) each municipality and county served by awardee; and
(ii) the total amount awarded per project type and per county.
6. The commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency services shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. Such rules and regulations may be included in the grant application and published on the agency's website.
7. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Available funding" shall mean the total appropriation made to the volunteer emergency medical services infrastructure and response equipment grant program and shall include the total available funding that will be awarded in the grant application cycle for each type of grant project and the maximum award for each grant project and each grantee.
(b) "Eligible equipment project" shall mean a project to support the repair, enhancement and installation of equipment used to support emergency medical service operations including, but not limited to vehicles, emergency medical technician rehabilitation equipment, communications technology and other safety equipment.
(c) "Eligible entity" shall include a voluntary ambulance service as defined in section three thousand one of this article.
(d) "Eligible facility project" shall mean a project for the acquisition, construction, renovation, rehabilitation and leasehold improvements of buildings owned or utilized by a voluntary ambulance service in the provision of services to the community served by the voluntary ambulance service, including, but not limited to, training facilities and infrastructure improvements to such buildings. For the purposes of this subdivision, electrical upgrades to a facility may be deemed to be infrastructure improvements.
(e) "Grant application cycle" shall mean the period of time determined by the commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency services that begins on the first day an applicant can submit an application and ends no later than the sixtieth day after grant applicants are notified of award decisions.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.