Assembly Bill A10990

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10990
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 14, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
   New York state rural ambulance services task force
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 3032-a to read as follows:
   §  3032-A.  RURAL  AMBULANCE SERVICES TASK FORCE. 1. THE DEPARTMENT IS
 HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO  ESTABLISH  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  RURAL  AMBULANCE
 SERVICES  TASK  FORCE WITHIN THE BUREAU OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO
 EXAMINE, EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS  CONCERNING  NEW  YORK  STATE
 AMBULANCE SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS.
   2.  (A)  SUCH TASK FORCE SHALL BE COMPRISED OF INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPER-
 TISE IN PROVIDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES  AND/OR  PROVIDING  MEDICAL
 SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS. THE MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS:
   (I) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR;
   (II) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;
   (III) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY;
   (IV) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE;
   (V) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY;
   (VI)  TWO  MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE  OFFICE  OF FIRE PREVENTION AND
 CONTROL;
   (VII) TWO  MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE  BUREAU  OF  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL
 SERVICES; AND
   (VIII) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR.
   (B) ONE OF THE APPOINTMENTS BY THE GOVERNOR SHALL SERVE AS CHAIRPERSON
 OF THE TASK FORCE.
   (C)  THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL SERVE FOR FOUR YEARS. MEMBERS
 SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL  BE  ALLOWED
 THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR
 SERVICES.
   (D)  THE  TASK  FORCE  MAY  COLLECT AND SHALL BE PROVIDED ALL RELEVANT
 INFORMATION NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS FROM ANY RELEVANT AGEN-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15383-01-6
 A. 10990                            2
 
 CY. MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL KEEP ANY INFORMATION RECEIVED IN THE
 COURSE OF THEIR DUTIES CONFIDENTIAL AND SHALL ONLY USE SUCH  INFORMATION
 IN THE COURSE OF CARRYING OUT THEIR DUTIES ON THE TASK FORCE.
   3. SUCH TASK FORCE SHALL CONDUCT ANNUAL STUDIES ON THE AVAILABILITY OF
 AMBULANCE SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THE UNIQUE
 CHALLENGES  THEY  FACE AND THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES.  UTILIZING
 INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM SUCH STUDIES, THE TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT  AND
 PROVIDE  RECOMMENDATIONS  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS
 SECTION, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) AN ANALYSIS OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AMBULANCE SERVICES AVAILABLE IN
 RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE, PROVIDED BY SERVICE TYPE AND GEOGRAPHIC REGION
 THEY SERVE AND COMPARED TO THE DOCUMENTED NEED FOR SUCH SERVICES;
   (B) ASSESSING CURRENT REIMBURSEMENT STRUCTURES IN PLACE FOR  AMBULANCE
 SERVICES  AS  WELL AS VARIOUS METHODS TO FUND OR OTHERWISE RAISE REVENUE
 FOR SUCH SERVICES;
   (C) ASSESSING BARRIERS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST THAT MAY  HAVE  LED  TO  A
 SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE AMBULANCE SERVICES TO MEET THE NEED; AND
   (D) STUDYING ANY OTHER ISSUE SUCH TASK FORCE DEEMS RELEVANT.
   4.  WITHIN  TWELVE  MONTHS  OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, AND
 ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT DETAILING  THE
 FINDINGS  OF  THE  STUDY TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
 SENATE, AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.