New York S 5854: Establishes a pilot program for rural health zones

Bill Text

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S05854 Summary:

BILL NOS05854 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORSKOUFIS

&nbsp

COSPNSRHARCKHAM, MAY

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MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add Art 29-A Title 1-B §2958-b, Pub Health L

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Establishes a pilot program for establishing and operating certain rural health zones.

Go to top S05854 Actions:

BILL NOS05854 

&nbsp

03/03/2025REFERRED TO HEALTH

01/07/2026REFERRED TO HEALTH

Go to topS05854 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS05854 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS05854 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 5854

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 3, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. SKOUFIS, HARCKHAM, MAY -- 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 a
 pilot program in New York state for the establishment and operation of
 certain rural health zones

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that collab-
 2 oration and innovation are needed to address significant gaps in health-
 3 care in rural areas of the state. To provide rural populations with
 4 better access to healthcare, the Rural Health Zone Pilot Program will
 5 work to improve the health of the targeted zone populations to standards
 6 consistent with quality, high levels of access to care and patient
 7 outcomes that reflect a patient-centric approach to physical, behav-
 8 ioral, and social well-being. A review of current practices in rural
 9 communities is required to identify areas for improvement to local
 10 health planning and infrastructure investment to improve access to care
 11 and clinical outcomes. This healthcare review, coupled with capital
 12 resources, programmatic support, and economic incentives, will create a
 13 healthier population, revitalize the workforce, and create greater
 14 opportunities for economic development within our rural communities.
 15 Ultimately, the Rural Health Zone Pilot Program will establish an inno-
 16 vative organizational replacement for a rural health care model that is
 17 no longer viable.
 18 § 2. Article 29-A of the public health law is amended by adding a new
 19 title 1-B to read as follows:
 20 TITLE 1-B
 21 RURAL HEALTH ZONE PILOT PROGRAM
 22 Section 2958-b. Rural health zone pilot program.
 23 § 2958-b. Rural health zone pilot program. 1. The commissioner shall,
 24 within monies appropriated therefore, establish a rural health zone
 25 pilot program. The commissioner shall establish pilot rural health zones
 26 in:
 27 (a) Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD08985-01-5

 S. 5854 2

 1 (b) Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties and contiguous areas of
 2 eastern Erie and Niagara and western Monroe counties;
 3 (c) Cortland and Tompkins counties; and
 4 (d) a zone to be determined by the governor, the temporary president
 5 of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly no later than thirty days
 6 after the effective date of this act.
 7 2. (a) The commissioner shall establish in each pilot rural health
 8 zone a rural health zone board. The powers and duties of each pilot
 9 rural health zone shall be vested in and exercised by rural health zone
 10 boards established for each zone consistent with this title.
 11 (b) Each rural health zone board shall be comprised of at least eight
 12 members, which shall consist of:
 13 (i) the public health commissioner from each county in the zone or
 14 such other person appointed by the local county executive;
 15 (ii) one representative of the department, as designated by the
 16 commissioner;
 17 (iii) two members appointed by the governor; one member appointed by
 18 the temporary president of the senate; one member appointed by the
 19 speaker of the assembly; one member appointed by the minority leader of
 20 the senate; and one member appointed by the minority leader of the
 21 assembly. Each board member appointed by the governor, the temporary
 22 president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the