NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1905
SPONSOR: Dinowitz
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to state disaster
preparedness plans
 
PURPOSE:
This bill requires that the state disaster preparedness plan make
provisions to ensure that medical supplies and medication can be deliv-
ered to pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes within an area declared
to be experiencing a disaster.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one adds a new subparagraph to subdivision three of section 22
of the executive law by requiring that the state disaster preparedness
plan consider how medical supplies and medication can be delivered to
pharmacies and hospitals located within the an area declared to be expe-
riencing a disaster emergency.
Section two provides that this act shall take effect thirty days after
becoming law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Ensuring the continuation of medical care to those in need of medical
services during a declared state of emergency is of upmost importance.
Therefore, it is imperative that our state preparedness plan consider
how medication and supplies can be efficiently delivered 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.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2020: A.2308 - Reported referred to rules/s.5853 - REFERRED TO VETERANS,
HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
2018: A.9652 - Passed Assembly/S.7590 - Reported to Finance
2017: A.1198 - Vetoed Memo 169/ S.5998- Vetoed Memo 169
2015-16: A.8562A - Vetoed Memo 241/S.6446 - Vetoed Memo 241
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the estate.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 30 days after becoming law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1905
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, REYES -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to state disaster
preparedness plans
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraphs 14, 15 and 16 of paragraph b of subdivision 3
2 of section 22 of the executive law are renumbered subparagraphs 15, 16,
3 and 17 and a new subparagraph 14 is added to read as follows:
4 (14) arrangements to ensure that medical supplies and medications can
5 be delivered to pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes located within
6 the area declared to be experiencing a disaster emergency.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
8 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03996-01-1