S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8189
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 1, 2022
                                ___________
 
 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
   consolidated  assistance  program  for EMS departments which creates a
   sustainable state financing mechanism for emergency medical services

   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
 3018 to read as follows:
   § 3018. CONSOLIDATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMS DEPARTMENTS. 1.    FOR
 THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, THE TERM "FUNDING LEVEL" SHALL MEAN THE
 AVERAGE AMOUNT OF FUNDING RECEIVED OVER THE PREVIOUS TWO  YEARS,  CALCU-
 LATED  FOR  EACH  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR CONTRACT WITH
 OTHER MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS, VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS, OR  NON-PROFITS  FOR
 THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION.
   2.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER OR ANY OTHER
 LAW, AND SUBJECT TO AN APPROPRIATION MADE  THEREFOR  AND  IN  ACCORDANCE
 WITH  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION AND WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
 PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER IN  CONNECTION  THEREWITH,  THE  CONSOL-
 IDATED  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IS
 HEREBY ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING PAYMENTS TO  MUNICIPALITIES
 WHICH  OPERATE  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, OR CONTRACT WITH
 OTHER MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS, VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS, OR  NON-PROFITS  FOR
 THE  PROVISION  OF  EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION
 AND WHICH DO NOT CONTRACT, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, WITH FOR-PROFIT ENTI-
 TIES FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  PROMULGATE
 ALL  NECESSARY RULES AND REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PROGRAM SO THAT AN
 EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF AID SHALL BE MADE TO SUCH MUNICIPALITIES.
   3. ON OR BEFORE THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF  APRIL,  JUNE,  SEPTEMBER  AND
 NOVEMBER,  THERE  SHALL  BE  DISTRIBUTED  AND  PAID TO MUNICIPALITIES AN
 AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE MONEYS APPROPRIATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION
 DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF PAYMENT DATES IN THAT STATE FISCAL  YEAR.  SUCH
 AMOUNTS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AND PAID PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14331-01-2
              

 S. 8189                             2

   4.  AMOUNTS  SHALL  BE DISTRIBUTED TO MUNICIPALITIES UNDER THE CONSOL-
 IDATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMS DEPARTMENTS IN RELATIVE  SHARES  BASED
 ON  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER, WHICH SHALL
 CONSIDER FOR EACH MUNICIPALITY:
   (A)  ITS  POPULATION AND POPULATION DENSITY, PRIORITIZING LESS DENSELY
 POPULATED AREAS WHERE FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR PROVIDING SERVICE  IS  GREAT-
 EST;
   (B) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES CALL VOLUME AND CALL TYPE;
   (C)  THE PERCENTAGE OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET WHICH GOES TO PROVIDING EMER-
 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES; AND
   (D) ANY OTHER FACTOR THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS RELEVANT.
   5. ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE THIRD MONTH FOLLOWING THE END OF ITS FISCAL
 YEAR, EACH MUNICIPALITY WHICH HAS RECEIVED FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE
 IN TOTAL FUNDS PAID PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION DURING THE PRECEDING FISCAL
 YEAR SHALL CERTIFY TO THE COMMISSIONER,  PURSUANT  TO  RULES  AND  REGU-
 LATIONS  PROMULGATED  BY  THE COMMISSIONER IN RELATION THERETO, THAT THE
 EXPENDITURE BY SUCH MUNICIPALITY IN SUCH FISCAL YEAR OF  NONSTATE  FUNDS
 RAISED BY THE MUNICIPALITY FOR THE OPERATION OF OR CONTRACTING FOR EMER-
 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WAS NOT REDUCED BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE AVERAGE OF
 THE  PREVIOUS  TWO  YEARS.  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT IN CALCULATING THE
 EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES OF THE MUNICIPALITY  TO  DETERMINE  THE  LOCAL
 MAINTENANCE  OF  EFFORT  FOR  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  BEING CERTIFIED AND THE
 EXPENDITURE LEVEL OF THE AVERAGE OF  THE  PREVIOUS  TWO  YEARS,  MUNICI-
 PALITIES  SHALL  NOT  BE  REQUIRED TO INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES AND
 EXPENDITURES FOR OPERATION  OF  OR  CONTRACTING  FOR  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL
 SERVICES NECESSITATED BY ANY UNFORESEEN EVENT FOR WHICH THE MUNICIPALITY
 WAS  OFFICIALLY  DECLARED  A  DISASTER  AREA.  WHERE A REDUCTION IN SUCH
 SPENDING OR NON-USE HAS OCCURRED, THE DISTRIBUTIONS  ABOVE  THE  FUNDING
 LEVEL  TO  SUCH MUNICIPALITY IN THE THEN-CURRENT STATE FISCAL YEAR SHALL
 BE REDUCED BY AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE AMOUNT OF  SUCH  REDUCTION  OR
 NON-USE,  EXCEPT  THAT  NO REDUCTION TO THE FUNDING LEVEL SHALL BE TAKEN
 FOR AN AMOUNT CAUSED BY ANY UNFORESEEN EVENT FOR WHICH THE  MUNICIPALITY
 WAS  OFFICIALLY DECLARED A DISASTER AREA. MUNICIPALITIES NOT REQUIRED TO
 CERTIFY UNDER THIS SECTION MAY CONTINUE SUCH NON-CERTIFYING STATUS, WITH
 THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSIONER, IF THE APPORTIONMENT TO  SUCH  MUNICI-
 PALITY  IS  INCREASED  TO  MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS BUT LESS THAN
 SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ANY LOCAL FISCAL YEAR.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF
 THIS  SECTION, A MUNICIPALITY SHALL MEAN A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE
 OR TWO OR MORE SUCH JURISDICTIONS ACTING JOINTLY.
   6. FOR ANY CITY, TOWN, OR VILLAGE WHICH CONSOLIDATES  OR  MERGES  WITH
 ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, THE RESULTING SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT SHALL FILE WITH
 THE  OFFICE  OF  THE STATE COMPTROLLER A CERTIFICATE OF ANY SUCH CONSOL-
 IDATION, MERGER AND ANY ACCOMPANYING DISSOLUTION. IF  THE  AMOUNT  WHICH
 WOULD OTHERWISE BE APPORTIONED TO THE INDIVIDUAL GOVERNMENTS EXCEEDS THE
 AMOUNT  WHICH  IS  PAYABLE  TO THE SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION, SUCH SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT SHALL RECEIVE NO LESS IN CONSOLIDATED
 LOCAL HIGHWAY APPORTIONMENTS THAN THE PREDECESSOR GOVERNMENTS WOULD HAVE
 RECEIVED IN THE AGGREGATE HAD THE MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION NOT OCCURRED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8189--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 1, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed  to  the  Committee  on  Health  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
   consolidated assistance program for EMS departments  which  creates  a
   sustainable state financing mechanism for emergency medical services
 
   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
 3018 to read as follows:
   §  3018.  CONSOLIDATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMS DEPARTMENTS. 1.  FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "FUNDING LEVEL"  SHALL  MEAN  THE
 AVERAGE  AMOUNT  OF FUNDING RECEIVED OVER THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, CALCU-
 LATED FOR EACH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE  DEPARTMENT  OR  CONTRACT  WITH
 OTHER  MUNICIPAL  DEPARTMENTS, VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS, OR NON-PROFITS FOR
 THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION.
   2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER OR  ANY  OTHER
 LAW,  AND  SUBJECT  TO  AN APPROPRIATION MADE THEREFOR AND IN ACCORDANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION AND WITH THE RULES  AND  REGULATIONS
 PROMULGATED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, THE CONSOL-
 IDATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE  DEPARTMENTS  IS
 HEREBY  ESTABLISHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING PAYMENTS TO MUNICIPALITIES
 WHICH OPERATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS,  OR  CONTRACT  WITH
 OTHER  MUNICIPAL  DEPARTMENTS, VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS, OR NON-PROFITS FOR
 THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES  WITHIN  THEIR  JURISDICTION
 AND WHICH DO NOT CONTRACT, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, WITH FOR-PROFIT ENTI-
 TIES  FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE
 ALL NECESSARY RULES AND REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PROGRAM SO THAT  AN
 EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF AID SHALL BE MADE TO SUCH MUNICIPALITIES.
   3.  ON  OR  BEFORE  THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF APRIL, JUNE, SEPTEMBER AND
 NOVEMBER, THERE SHALL BE  DISTRIBUTED  AND  PAID  TO  MUNICIPALITIES  AN
 AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE MONEYS APPROPRIATED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14331-03-2
              

 S. 8189--A                          2
 
 DIVIDED  BY  THE NUMBER OF PAYMENT DATES IN THAT STATE FISCAL YEAR. SUCH
 AMOUNTS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AND PAID PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   4.  AMOUNTS  SHALL  BE DISTRIBUTED TO MUNICIPALITIES UNDER THE CONSOL-
 IDATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMS DEPARTMENTS IN RELATIVE  SHARES  BASED
 ON  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER, WHICH SHALL
 CONSIDER FOR EACH MUNICIPALITY:
   (A) ITS POPULATION AND POPULATION DENSITY, PRIORITIZING  LESS  DENSELY
 POPULATED  AREAS  WHERE FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR PROVIDING SERVICE IS GREAT-
 EST;
   (B) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES CALL VOLUME AND CALL TYPE;
   (C) THE PERCENTAGE OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET WHICH GOES TO PROVIDING  EMER-
 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES; AND
   (D) ANY OTHER FACTOR THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS RELEVANT.
   5. ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE THIRD MONTH FOLLOWING THE END OF ITS FISCAL
 YEAR, EACH MUNICIPALITY WHICH HAS RECEIVED FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE
 IN TOTAL FUNDS PAID PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION DURING THE PRECEDING FISCAL
 YEAR  SHALL  CERTIFY  TO  THE  COMMISSIONER, PURSUANT TO RULES AND REGU-
 LATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER IN RELATION  THERETO,  THAT  THE
 EXPENDITURE  BY  SUCH MUNICIPALITY IN SUCH FISCAL YEAR OF NONSTATE FUNDS
 RAISED BY THE MUNICIPALITY FOR THE OPERATION OF OR CONTRACTING FOR EMER-
 GENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WAS NOT REDUCED BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE AVERAGE OF
 THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  IN  CALCULATING  THE
 EXPENDITURES  AND  REVENUES  OF  THE MUNICIPALITY TO DETERMINE THE LOCAL
 MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FOR  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  BEING  CERTIFIED  AND  THE
 EXPENDITURE  LEVEL  OF  THE  AVERAGE  OF THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, MUNICI-
 PALITIES SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE THE  AMOUNT  OF  REVENUES  AND
 EXPENDITURES  FOR  OPERATION  OF  OR  CONTRACTING  FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL
 SERVICES NECESSITATED BY ANY UNFORESEEN EVENT FOR WHICH THE MUNICIPALITY
 WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED A DISASTER  AREA.  WHERE  A  REDUCTION  IN  SUCH
 SPENDING  OR  NON-USE  HAS OCCURRED, THE DISTRIBUTIONS ABOVE THE FUNDING
 LEVEL TO SUCH MUNICIPALITY IN THE THEN-CURRENT STATE FISCAL  YEAR  SHALL
 BE  REDUCED  BY  AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE AMOUNT OF SUCH REDUCTION OR
 NON-USE, EXCEPT THAT NO REDUCTION TO THE FUNDING LEVEL  SHALL  BE  TAKEN
 FOR  AN AMOUNT CAUSED BY ANY UNFORESEEN EVENT FOR WHICH THE MUNICIPALITY
 WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED A DISASTER AREA. MUNICIPALITIES NOT REQUIRED  TO
 CERTIFY UNDER THIS SECTION MAY CONTINUE SUCH NON-CERTIFYING STATUS, WITH
 THE  APPROVAL  OF THE COMMISSIONER, IF THE APPORTIONMENT TO SUCH MUNICI-
 PALITY IS INCREASED TO MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND  DOLLARS  BUT  LESS  THAN
 SEVEN  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  IN  ANY LOCAL FISCAL YEAR. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION, A MUNICIPALITY SHALL MEAN A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR  VILLAGE
 OR TWO OR MORE SUCH JURISDICTIONS ACTING JOINTLY.
   6.  FOR  ANY  CITY, TOWN, OR VILLAGE WHICH CONSOLIDATES OR MERGES WITH
 ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, THE RESULTING SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT SHALL FILE WITH
 THE OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER A CERTIFICATE OF  ANY  SUCH  CONSOL-
 IDATION,  MERGER  AND  ANY ACCOMPANYING DISSOLUTION. IF THE AMOUNT WHICH
 WOULD OTHERWISE BE APPORTIONED TO THE INDIVIDUAL GOVERNMENTS EXCEEDS THE
 AMOUNT WHICH IS PAYABLE TO THE SUCCESSOR  GOVERNMENT  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION, SUCH SUCCESSOR GOVERNMENT SHALL RECEIVE NO LESS IN CONSOLIDATED
 ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM FOR EMS DEPARTMENT APPORTIONMENTS THAN THE PREDECES-
 SOR GOVERNMENTS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN THE AGGREGATE HAD THE  MERGER  OR
 CONSOLIDATION NOT OCCURRED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.