BILL NUMBER: S7501
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law and the public health law, in
relation to emergency medical services
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
To deem emergency medical services as an essential service; to provide
municipalities with the flexibility to ensure provision of emergency
medical services; to establish statewide, regional, and county coordi-
nation of emergency medical services; and to provide for enhanced train-
ing and credentialing of emergency medical service practitioners, agen-
cies, and educational institutions.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 122-b
of the general municipal law to declare that general ambulance services
are an essential service; requires that every county, city, town, and
village, acting individually or jointly, or in conjunction with a
special district, ensure that emergency medical service, general ambu-
lance service or a combination of such services are provided for;
exempts cities with a population of one million or more from the
requirements. This section also adds a new paragraph (g) to subdivision
1 of section 122-b to allow a county, city, town, or village, acting
individually, or jointly with any other county, city, town and/or
village, to establish a special district for the financing and operation
of general ambulance services by following the procedures in town law as
are required for establishment of fire districts.
Section 2 amends section 3000 of the public health law to clarify that
emergency medical services and ambulance services are essential services
that must be available to every person in the state in a reliable
manner.
Section 3 amends section 3001 of the public health law to expand the
definition of emergency medical services.
Section 4 creates a new section 3019 of the public health law providing
that the state emergency medical services council, in collaboration with
the department of health, shall develop and maintain a statewide compre-
hensive emergency medical system plan to improve coordination, accessi-
bility, and delivery of services, coordinate development of alternative
delivery models, and conduct and promote education and training of emer-
gency medical service practitioners; that regional emergency medical
services councils develop and maintain regional comprehensive emergency
medical system plans; and that counties develop and maintain comprehen-
sive county emergency medical system plans.
Section 5 creates a new section 3019-a of the public health law estab-
lishing the emergency medical systems training program, and provides
that the state emergency medical services council shall make recommenda-
tions to the department of health for the implementation of standards
related to the establishment of emergency medical systems training
programs, curricula, and requirements for emergency medical system
educational institutions. This section further provides that the depart-
ment of health shall ensure compliance with such standards.
Section 6 amends section 3020 of the public health law to provide for
the creation or adoption of additional standards, training, and criteria
to become an emergency medical service practitioner credentialed to
provide specialized, advanced, or other services, and for emergency
medical service agencies to become accredited in specific areas to
increase system performance.
Section 7 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New Yorkers expect emergency medical services (EMS) to be available at
all times and in all locations should they need assistance. These
services are essential, providing a wide range of prehospital medical
care to sick or injured people in emergency situations, and are often a
matter of life and death. EMS is a vital resource, necessary to the
health and well-being of communities across New York.
Despite the vast importance of EMS, there is an ongoing crisis in this
state, particularly in how EMS is funded, staffed, and operated. Much of
this stems from a fundamental misconception about EMS vis-a-vis other
critical services like police and fire. This is reflected in New York
State law, which currently fails to recognize the essential nature of
EMS. As a result, the work of EMS providers is undervalued within our
emergency and health care systems compared to other critical public
services, creating a disparity between the immense value that EMS work-
ers and volunteers provide to our communities and the resources made
available to provide these services. Accordingly, many EMS providers
across the state struggle to find and retain staff.
EMS providers are multi-faceted, highly-trained public servants who not
only provide ambulance services for New Yorkers in times of medical
emergency, but also pre-hospital care and general emergency response for
those who are injured, sick, or in need of immediate help. It is time
that New York law reflects the enormous sacrifices and critical work of
the EMS community. Under the existing framework for the provision of
EMS in New York, private, public, and not-for-profit providers serve
needs across the state in a scattered, patchwork approach. This leaves
many New York residents uncertain whether an EMS provider will be avail-
able in their locality in a time of need. Creating greater flexibility
for municipalities to facilitate EMS to meet unique local challenges
represents a critical next step in the provision of these much needed
services.
With that in mind, this bill amends the general municipal law to declare
general ambulance service to be an "essential service" and requires that
every county, city, town and village, acting individually or jointly, or
in conjunction with a special district, ensure that an emergency medical
service, a general ambulance service, or a combination of such services
is provided for. The bill allows any county, city, town, or village,
acting individually or jointly with any other county, city, town, or
village, to establish a special district for the financing and operation
of general ambulance services. The bill exempts any city with a popu-
lation of one million or more from this requirement. Additionally, the
bill provides for coordination of emergency medical services on a state-
wide, regional, and countywide basis, and enhances education and train-
ing programs for emergency medical service providers and training insti-
tutions.
This bill takes necessary steps to recognize EMS as an essential service
that must be provided in every area of the state.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S4020C/A3392C, passed Senate, died in Assembly
2021-2022: S8432A/A9509A, referred to Local Government
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal fiscal impact to the state.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect six months after it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S7501: 122-b general municipal law, 122-b(1) general municipal law, 3000 public health law, 3001 public health law, 3001(1) public health law, 3020 public health law