Establishes the New York state rural ambulance services task force to conduct annual studies on the availability of ambulance services in rural areas and to make recommendations upon the findings of such studies; requires the department of health to submit an annual report detailing the findings of such studies.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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9664
IN SENATE
April 1, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed 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:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 3032-a to read as follows:
3 § 3032-a. Rural ambulance services task force. 1. The department is
4 hereby authorized to establish the New York state rural ambulance
5 services task force within the bureau of emergency medical services to
6 examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning New York state
7 ambulance services in rural areas.
8 2. (a) Such task force shall be comprised of individuals with exper-
9 tise in providing emergency medical services and/or providing medical
10 services in rural areas. The members shall be appointed as follows:
11 (i) two members appointed by the governor;
12 (ii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
13 (iii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
14 (iv) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
15 (v) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
16 (vi) two members appointed by the office of fire prevention and
17 control;
18 (vii) two members appointed by the bureau of emergency medical
19 services; and
20 (viii) two members appointed by the commissioner of labor.
21 (b) One of the appointments by the governor shall serve as chairperson
22 of the task force.
23 (c) The members of the task force shall serve for four years. Members
24 shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed
25 their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
26 services.
27 (d) The task force may collect and shall be provided all relevant
28 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
S. 9664 2
1 cy. Members of the task force shall keep any information received in the
2 course of their duties confidential and shall only use such information
3 in the course of carrying out their duties on the task force.
4 3. Such task force shall conduct annual studies on the availability of
5 ambulance services in rural areas, with a particular focus on the unique
6 challenges they face and their ability to provide services. Utilizing
7 information obtained from such studies, the task force shall report and
8 provide recommendations in accordance with subdivision four of this
9 section, which shall include, but not be limited to the following:
10 (a) an analysis of the total number of ambulance services available in
11 rural areas of the state, provided by service type and geographic region
12 they serve and compared to the documented need for such services;
13 (b) assessing current reimbursement structures in place for ambulance
14 services as well as various methods to fund or otherwise raise revenue
15 for such services;
16 (c) assessing barriers that currently exist that may have led to a
17 shortage of available ambulance services to meet the need; and
18 (d) studying any other issue such task force deems relevant.
19 4. Within twelve months of the effective date of this section, and
20 annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report detailing the
21 findings of the study to the governor, the temporary president of the
22 senate, and the speaker of the assembly.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
