Establishes the volunteer and municipal ambulance services grant program to support projects which sustain or enhance the operation of volunteer and municipal ambulance services, including but not limited to acquisition or maintenance of buildings, equipment, technology, or vehicles.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10689
IN SENATE
August 26, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
volunteer and municipal ambulance services grant program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 3035 to read as follows:
3 § 3035. Volunteer and municipal ambulance services grant program. 1.
4 There is hereby established within the department, the volunteer and
5 municipal ambulance services grant program. The grant program shall be
6 administered by the department for the purpose of awarding capital
7 grants to support projects which sustain or enhance the operation of
8 volunteer and municipal ambulance services, including but not limited to
9 acquisition or maintenance of buildings, equipment, technology, or vehi-
10 cles.
11 2. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms
12 shall have the following meanings:
13 (a) "Available funding" shall mean the total appropriation made to the
14 volunteer and municipal ambulance services grant program.
15 (b) "Eligible project" shall mean a project to support the provision
16 of volunteer or municipal ambulance services, including but not limited
17 to acquisition or maintenance of buildings, equipment, technology, or
18 vehicles. For the purposes of this section, eligible projects relating
19 to the acquisition or maintenance of buildings or vehicles shall include
20 improvement, renovation, rehabilitation, or consolidation of such build-
21 ings or vehicles.
22 (c) "Eligible entity" shall mean:
23 (i) a voluntary ambulance service, as defined in section three thou-
24 sand one of this article;
25 (ii) a municipal ambulance service; or
26 (iii) two or more eligible entities pursuant to subparagraph (i) or
27 (ii) of this paragraph applying for a shared project that will benefit
28 all such entities.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16316-01-6
S. 10689 2
1 (d) "Grant application cycle" shall mean the period of time determined
2 by the commissioner that begins on the first day an applicant can submit
3 an application and ends no later than the sixtieth day after grant
4 applicants are notified of award decisions.
5 3. (a) Eligible entities that are located within the state may apply
6 for the grant program for purposes of eligible projects.
7 (b) A municipality or county may apply for the grant program on behalf
8 of an eligible entity, provided that such municipality or county meets
9 any additional requirements established by the department to document
10 approval from and direct benefit to such eligible entity.
11 4. Subject to appropriation, grants shall be awarded to eligible enti-
12 ties each grant application cycle on a competitive basis through an
13 application process; provided, however, that no eligible entity shall
14 receive greater than ten percent of the available funding in each grant
15 application cycle. The commissioner shall provide updated information
16 regarding the grant application cycle, available funding, and additional
17 grant information deemed relevant by the commissioner prior to each
18 grant application cycle.
19 5. The commissioner shall publish a report on the grant application
20 cycle no later than the thirtieth day after such grant application cycle
21 has ended. The report shall be published on the department's website and
22 shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
23 (a) the total available funding for the grant application cycle;
24 (b) the total number of applicants who applied for a grant during the
25 grant application cycle;
26 (c) a list of awardees, including a list of municipalities served by
27 each awardee; and
28 (d) the total amount requested and awarded per eligible project type
29 and per county.
30 6. The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations neces-
31 sary to carry out the provisions of this section. Such rules and regu-
32 lations may be included in the grant application and published on the
33 agency's website.
34 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
35 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
36 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
37 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
38 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
