NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5478

Senate Bill S5478

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Expands the emergency medical technician re-certification demonstration program throughout the state and extends the length of such re-certification

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 21, 2025	referred to health

co-Sponsors

2025-S5478 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §3005-b, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: S9212
2023-2024: S3106

2025-S5478 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Expands the emergency medical technician re-certification demonstration program throughout the state; extends the length of such re-certification from five years to seven years.

2025-S5478 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5478

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to expanding the
emergency medical technician re-certification demonstration program
throughout the state and extending the length of such re-certification

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to extend the recertification demonstration
program for emergency medical techniciahs from five to seven years and
the repeal date to 2026.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would amend section 3005-b of Public Health Law
extending the emergency medical technician re-certification demon-
stration program from five to seven years. In addition, the program
would apply to all emergency medical technicians within the state.

Section 2 of this bill would extend Chapter 563 of the Laws of 2001 to
January 1. 2026.

Section 3 of this bill provides that effective date shall take effect
immediately, provided, however, that the amendments to section 3005-b of
the public health law made by section one of this act shall not affect
the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) conduct basic, non-invasive inter-
ventions to help save lives and reduce harm at emergency sites.  They
have the skills needed to transport patients safely. In many places,
EMTs provide out-of-hospital care. To be licensed as an EMT, you must
take an accredited course. EMTs courses are normally between 150 and 180
hours to complete. Emergency medical technicians are an essential part
of public safety that cannot be replaced, however, over the past few
years EMT retention has been especially difficult due to the re-certifi-
cation process. This bill would allow EMTs throughout New York State to
receive re-certification every 7 years rather than every 5 years and
will hopefully allow for more practicing EMTs to stay certified longer
and continue their much-needed service to the public.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S3106A (Mannion)- Referred to RULES.

2021-22: S.9212 (Mannion) - Referred to Health.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the
amendments to section 3005-b of the public health law made by section
one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be
deemed repealed therewith.

2025-S5478 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5478
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 21, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  COMRIE, OBERACKER, WEBB -- 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  expanding  the
   emergency  medical  technician  re-certification demonstration program
   throughout the state and extending the length of such re-certification

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  section  heading and subdivisions 1 and 2 of section
 3005-b of the public health law, the section heading and  subdivision  1
 as  added  by  chapter  563  of  the  laws of 2001, and subdivision 2 as
 amended by chapter 643 of the laws of  2006,  are  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   Emergency medical technician [five] SEVEN year re-certification demon-
 stration  program.    1. There is hereby created within the department a
 demonstration program (referred to in this section as the "program")  to
 allow emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical tech-
 nicians  who  have been in continuous practice and who have demonstrated
 competence in applicable behavioral and performance  objectives,  to  be
 re-certified  for a [five] SEVEN year period. No person shall be re-cer-
 tified under the program unless [he or she] SUCH PERSON has completed at
 least one hundred thirty  hours  of  instruction  in  emergency  medical
 services  as  approved  by the commissioner including but not limited to
 pediatrics, geriatrics, environmental emergencies, legal  issues,  emer-
 gency  vehicle  operations  course  and medical emergencies. Renewals of
 certification under the program shall be deemed equivalent  to  renewals
 under subdivision two of section three thousand two of this article.
   2.  The  program  shall [be limited to persons who are employed by the
 New York city fire department or who are in practice  in  the  following
 counties:  Delaware, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Nassau, Otsego, Scho-
 harie or Suffolk. The commissioner may limit the number of  participants
 in  the program, except that such limit shall be no less than four thou-

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09690-01-5

 S. 5478                             2

 sand participants] APPLY TO ALL EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  TECHNICIANS  UP  FOR
 RECERTIFICATION  AFTER  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF
 TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE WHICH AMENDED THIS SUBDIVISION.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
 the amendments to section 3005-b  of  the  public  health  law  made  by
 section  one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and
 shall be deemed repealed therewith.

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Senate Bill S5478

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Sponsored By

Leroy Comrie