BILL NUMBER: S3831

SPONSOR: SERRANO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act providing funding in cities having populations
of one million or more for combating legionnaires' disease; appropri-
ation

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to provide an appropriation of up to $50
million to cities with a population of one million to enable them to
combat Legionnaires' disease.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill appropriates a sum of up to $50 million to the New
York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of
Environmental Protection for the purpose of enforcing all laws, rules
and regulations designed to combat Legionnaires' disease and requires
that the funds be drawn from the local assistance account.

              

Section 2 provides for this act to take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

During the summer of 2015 the City of New York experienced the worst
outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the history of our State's largest
municipality. As of August 10, 2015, the outbreak had taken the lives of
12 New Yorkers and led to the hospitalization of 113 individuals with
severe health complications directly attributable to the disease. Public
health officials have stated that the deadly disease outbreak centered
in the South Bronx resulted from mist from poorly maintained water cool-
ing towers being inhaled by individuals with preexisting health condi-
tions including compromised pulmonary and/ or immune systems.

While the latest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease is the largest and
most deadly of its kind in New York history the disease has proven
dangerous in the past with a dozen Bronx residents being sent to the
hospital with Legionnaires' less than a year before. The recurring
nature of the disease indicates the clear need to ensure that the appro-
priate professionals have the resources needed to protect the public
health and prevent further deaths. Focused on the importance of combat-
ing the severe form of pneumonia commonly known as Legionnaires' disease
- this legislation appropriates up to $50 million to the city agencies
that are most directly responsible for ensuring that the necessary
inspection of water cooling towers take place in New York City.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2016: S.7451- Referred to Finance
2017-2018: S.3106 - Referred to Finance.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Up to a maximum of $50 million in state funds will be spent with a much
larger potential savings due to a reduction in the number of hospitali-
zations resulting from Legionnaires' disease.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.