NY State Senate Bill 2023-S8942

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 01, 2024	referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9884
Current Committee:: Senate Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §23, Exec L

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the inclusion of local and municipal animal shelters, a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and veterinary services when establishing local comprehensive emergency management plans; requires that information to the public include the communication accommodation needs of persons with vision or hearing impairments and information on which temporary housing and other necessary facilities are designated as animal-friendly.

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8942

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the establishment of
local comprehensive emergency management plans

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to ensure local emergency management
plans include animal accommodation preparation and public communication
that considers the needs of persons with vision or hearing impairments.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Subdivision 5 and paragraph b of subdivision 7 of section 2
23 of the executive law, subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 385 of the
3 laws of 2017, paragraph b of subdivision 7 as amended by section 4 of
4 part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, subparagraph 13 of paragraph
b 5 of subdivision 7 as amended by chapter 724 of the laws of 2022, are
amended to require county emergency management plans to include the

identification of temporary housing or other facilities that will be
designated as animal friendly, develop partnerships with local and
municipal animal shelters, society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals and veterinary services to assist in responding to emergencies
involving animals, and ensure public communication considers the needs
of persons with vision or hearing impairments.

Section 2. Establishes the enacting clause.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Each county prepares a comprehensive emergency management plan to mini-
mize the effect of disasters through the coordination and distribution
of resources, mitigation efforts and preparations for recovery and rede-
velopment. Such plans are vital in securing the safety of residents and
enabling efficient emergency response and evacuation if necessary.

To that end, it is critical animal accommodations are included in such
planning to ensure residents with companion animals have the information
needed to plan and respond accordingly. Nonprofits such as the Red Cross
often encourage households to establish a plan for their companion
animal/s in the event of an emergency, however, it becomes challenging
when there is uncertainty if animals will be accepted at temporary hous-
ing evacuation sites. Research has consistently demonstrated residents
are less likely to evacuate in fear of leaving companion animals behind,
further demonstrating the significance of including animal accommo-
dations in emergency planning 1.

Communication coordination is another vital component of emergency
management plans, playing a key role in resiliency, public health, and
safety. Local dissemination of information to the public must consider
accessibility needs of residents with vision or hearing impairments. In
2020, the New York State mass notification system NY-Alert was updated
to ensure people with complete loss of sight have access to lifesaving
information concerning forthcoming storms and other emergencies2. Bring-
ing this awareness into local emergency management plans will expand
upon the state's efforts in being inclusive and holistic in emergency
planning. This legislation seeks to fill these gaps to proactively
strengthen our counties and communities' ability to mitigate and respond
to emergencies.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
1 Chadwin R. Evacuation of Pets During Disasters: A Public Health Inter-
vention to Increase Resilience. Am 1 Public Health. 2017
Sep;107(9):1413-1417. doi:  10.2105/AJPH.2017.303877. Epub 2017 Jul 20.
PMID: 28727532; PMCID: PMC5551593.
2 Newsday, 2021. Agreement reached to make NY emergency alerts accessi-
ble for blind people.  Retrieved from:
https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/emergency-alerts-new-
york-blindpeople-lawsuit-b89364

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8942
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 1, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
   ty and Military Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the  establishment  of
   local comprehensive emergency management plans
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 5 and paragraph b of subdivision 7  of  section
 23  of the executive law, subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 385 of the
 laws of 2017, paragraph b of subdivision 7 as amended by  section  4  of
 part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, subparagraph 13 of paragraph b
 of  subdivision  7  as  amended  by chapter 724 of the laws of 2022, are
 amended to read as follows:
   5. In preparing such plans, cooperation, advice and  assistance  shall
 be  sought  from local government officials, regional and local planning
 agencies, police agencies, fire departments and  fire  companies,  local
 emergency   management  agencies,  commercial  and  volunteer  ambulance
 services, health and social services officials, community  action  agen-
 cies,  the  chief  administrator  of  the  courts, organizations for the
 elderly and the handicapped, agencies  and  organizations  that  provide
 home  health  care  services,  agencies  and  organizations that provide
 hospice services, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL ANIMAL SHELTERS, A SOCIETY FOR THE
 PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, VETERINARY SERVICES, other  interested
 groups  and  the  general  public.  Such  advice  and  assistance may be
 obtained through public hearings held on public notice, or through other
 appropriate and practical methods,  through  which  such  aforementioned
 groups  may  offer  their input for consideration on issues that support
 the effective preparation and execution of the plan. In addition, in the
 case of home care and hospice, such  input  may  address  procedures  by
 which  such  providers  may be granted essential access to care for such
 patients during an emergency.
   b. Disaster response. Plans to coordinate the  use  of  resources  and
 manpower  for service during and after disasters and to deliver services
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15026-01-4

 S. 8942                             2
 
 to aid citizens and reduce human suffering  resulting  from  a  disaster
 shall include, but not be limited to:
   (1) coordination of resources, manpower and services, using recognized
 practices  in  incident management, utilizing existing organizations and
 lines of authority and centralized direction of requests for assistance;
   (2) the location, procurement, construction,  processing,  transporta-
 tion, storing, maintenance, renovation, distribution, disposal or use of
 materials,  including  those  donated, and facilities and services which
 may be required in time of disaster;
   (3) a system for warning populations who are or may be endangered;
   (4)  arrangements  for  activating  municipal  and  volunteer  forces,
 through  normal  chains of command so far as possible, and for continued
 communication and reporting;
   (5) a specific plan for rapid and efficient communication and for  the
 integration  of local communication facilities during a disaster includ-
 ing the assignment of responsibilities and the establishment of communi-
 cation priorities and liaison with municipal, private, state and federal
 communication facilities;
   (6) (I) a plan for THE coordination OF evacuation procedures including
 the establishment of temporary housing and other  necessary  facilities;
 AND
   (II)  SUCH  PLAN SHALL INCLUDE THE IDENTIFICATION OF TEMPORARY HOUSING
 AND OTHER NECESSARY FACILITIES DESIGNATED AS ANIMAL-FRIENDLY;
   (7) criteria for establishing priorities with respect to the  restora-
 tion of vital services and debris removal;
   (8) plans for the continued effective operation of the civil and crim-
 inal justice systems;
   (9)  provisions for training local government personnel and volunteers
 in disaster response operations;
   (10) providing information to the public WHICH SHALL:
   (I) CONSIDER THE COMMUNICATION ACCOMMODATION  NEEDS  OF  PERSONS  WITH
 VISION OR HEARING IMPAIRMENTS; AND
   (II)  INCLUDE  INFORMATION ON WHICH TEMPORARY HOUSING AND OTHER NECES-
 SARY FACILITIES ARE DESIGNATED AS ANIMAL-FRIENDLY;
   (11) care for the injured and needy and identification and disposition
 of the dead;
   (12) utilization and coordination of programs  to  assist  victims  of
 disasters,  with  particular  attention  to  the  needs of the poor, the
 elderly, individuals with disabilities and other  groups  which  may  be
 especially affected;
   (13)  control  of  ingress  and  egress  to  and from a disaster area,
 including but not limited to, exempting from travel bans those essential
 private and public personnel, as determined by the commission,  who  are
 summoned  by  their  employers  to assist in emergency services, such as
 utility and other workers who need to reach declared emergency areas  in
 order  to perform tasks related to the restoration and/or maintenance of
 energy and communications infrastructure;
   (14) arrangements to administer state and federal disaster assistance;
   (15) procedures under which the county, city, town, village  or  other
 political subdivision and emergency organization personnel and resources
 will be used in the event of a disaster;
   (16)  a  system  for  obtaining  and coordinating disaster information
 including the centralized  assessment  of  local  disaster  effects  and
 resultant needs;
   (17)  continued  operation  of  governments of political subdivisions;
 [and]
 S. 8942                             3
 
   (18) utilization and coordination of programs  to  assist  individuals
 with  household  pets  and  service  animals  following a disaster, with
 particular attention to means of evacuation, shelter and  transportation
 options[.]; AND
   (19)  ESTABLISHING  PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL ANIMAL SHEL-
 TERS, A SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AND  VETERINARY
 SERVICES TO ASSIST IN RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES INVOLVING ANIMALS.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S8942

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S8942

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Monica R. Martinez

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8942 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments