Clarifies that a plan for the delivery of medical supplies and medications to pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes in affected areas during a state disaster emergency is required.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A609
SPONSOR: Dinowitz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring a plan for
the delivery of medical supplies and medications to pharmacies, hospi-
tals and nursing homes in affected areas during a state disaster emer-
gency
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to make technical changes to Chapter 726 of
the Laws of 2022 in order to effectuate the intent of the law.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill would require a plan for the delivery of
medical supplies and medications to pharmacies, hospitals and nursing
homes in affected areas during a state disaster emergency.
Section two of this bill would establish the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Ensuring the continuation of medical care to those in need of medical
services during a declared state of emergency is of upmost importance.
To this end, Chapter 726 of the Laws of 2022 requires state preparedness
plan to consider how medication and supplies can be efficiently deliv-
ered to hospitals and pharmacies during a declared state of emergency.
During Hurricane Sandy the Port Authority closed the bridges to Long
Island to all but emergency vehicles. In one instance, a medical deliv-
ery company was forced to rent an ambulance in order to deliver their
shipment of an uncommon drug to a hospitalized patient in dire straits.
It took several hours to coordinate the delivery of this medication,
despite requests for assistance from the State Police. All the while,
the patient was at risk and without their needed medication. During the
November 2014 blizzard in Buffalo, the upstate driving ban prevented
even emergency deliveries to area hospitals. Several health systems have
report that during the three-day driving ban, they had to cut off or
significantly limit prescription therapy/dosages to patients.
AS A STATE, WE NEED TO DO BETTER TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS HAVE ACCESS
TO THE MEDICATION AND SUPPLIES THEY RELY ON DURING DECLARED EMERGENCIES.
BY REQUIRING THAT THE STATE PREPAREDNESS PLAN CONSIDER AND MAKE ARRANGE-
MENTS TO ENSURE THAT MEDICATION AND SUPPLIES CAN BE DELIVERED TO PHARMA-
CIES AND HOSPITALS DURING DECLARED EMERGENCIES, WE CAN BE BETTER
PREPARED FOR THE NEXT DISASTER.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the executive law relating to state
disaster prepaiedness plans, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.
1086 and A. 1905, takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
609
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring a plan for
the delivery of medical supplies and medications to pharmacies, hospi-
tals and nursing homes in affected areas during a state disaster emer-
gency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraph 14 of paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section
2 22 of the executive law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2022
3 amending the executive law relating to state disaster preparedness
4 plans, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 1086 and A. 1905, is
5 amended to read as follows:
6 (14) [arrangements to ensure that] a plan for the delivery of medical
7 supplies and medications [can be delivered] to pharmacies, hospitals and
8 nursing homes located within the area declared to be experiencing a
9 disaster emergency.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
11 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the executive law
12 relating to state disaster preparedness plans, as proposed in legisla-
13 tive bills numbers S. 1086 and A. 1905, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04026-01-3
