The end of the state’s legislative session “brisk and furious,” state Sen. Peter Oberacker, R-Schenevus, said to the Otsego County Board of Representatives Wednesday, July 3, and his focus was to push bills regarding emergency medical services.
Oberacker updated the board about bills passed during the recent legislative session and their impact on the 51st District.
He said he believes the Senate passed around 1,650 bills this year, with 250 passed on the last day alone, including a bill that designates EMS as an essential service.
According to a quote from Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS Administrator Kenny Barton on the state Senate website, deeming EMS an essential service would ensure that services are always available, similar to police and fire. He said it would also allow “special districts” between municipal entities, allowing outsourcing for EMS.
Oberacker said the bill has stalled temporarily in the state Assembly, but Gov. Kathy Hochul has indicated she would sign it.
“I believe next year we will actually get it through, which will be huge for the U.S. and for the counties as well,” he said.
He said that legislation requiring that bills for medical services would be given to the service provider, not the individual, passed in the Senate.
“That’s another key part of our EMS mandate,” he said.
Oberacker said that they passed another bill which allows ambulances to carry blood for emergency transfusion. The Senate passed a similar bill for emergency air services two legislative sessions ago and it has been effective, he said.
“It’s a huge step forward in being able to provide adequate and exceptional service to the people that we represent,” he said.
Another bill passed in the Senate would increase the amount of the personal income tax credit from $200 to $800 for volunteer firefighters.
“The volunteer services are suffering with keeping people in our ranks. We hope that this is a step in the right direction,” he said.
A bill that Oberacker said did not pass as a part of this EMS mandate, Senate Bill 9033, would have established a statewide program to provide free SUNY, CUNY and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers and volunteer auxiliary police officers, according to the state Senate website.
The legislation like this could help increase volunteer ranks.
Oberacker released a petition for the public to sign to stop the changes being made by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding EMS.
According to OSHA’s proposed rule 1910.156, the goal is to protect emergency responders by updating regulations.
Oberacker said that he thinks this new rule is too general and does not consider that fire departments in a more rural setting have different needs.
“It truly will be, to me, extremely detrimental to our volunteers,” he said.
Other updates Oberacker mentioned include a restoring Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program funds in the state budget.
State Sen. Joseph Griffo said on the state Senate website that these funds would help local governments “restore and maintain infrastructure.”
Oberacker said that moving forward into this next legislative session, his goal is to change Extreme Winter Relief funding to Extreme Weather Relief funding.
He said that municipalities would be able to access these relief funds at any time of year for any storm that may cause damage.
He said that he is looking to use a way to quantify damage and suggested if the damage is equal to or exceeds 10 to 12% of the highway budget, that would be what allows local municipalities to apply for these funds.