Requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide and maintain automated external defibrillators in quantities and types deemed by the commissioner to be adequate to ensure ready and appropriate access for use during emergencies.
Summary
This bill would amend the Public Health Law to require every nursing home and assisted living facility licensed by the Department of Health to provide and maintain on-site automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The number and type of AEDs would be set by the commissioner, who must determine what is adequate to ensure ready and appropriate access during emergencies. The bill also makes these facilities and their staff subject to the existing statutory requirements and limitations that already apply to AED use and maintenance under Public Health Law section 3000-b.
The measure is aimed at improving emergency cardiac response in long-term care settings, where residents are often older and medically vulnerable. It would take effect 90 days after becoming law and would add a new sanitary code requirement for licensed nursing homes and assisted living facilities to keep AED equipment on-site and available for immediate use.
Impact
The bill would expand state health and safety requirements for nursing homes and assisted living facilities by mandating on-site AED availability, rather than leaving AED placement to facility discretion. It would effectively incorporate these facilities into the existing AED framework in Public Health Law section 3000-b, while giving the commissioner authority to determine the appropriate quantity and type of devices. Facilities would likely face new compliance, procurement, maintenance, and staff-readiness obligations, and the Department of Health would gain additional oversight authority through the sanitary code.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal legislative debate or roll-call sentiment is available. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the proposal appears to be framed as a public-safety and emergency-preparedness measure intended to protect residents in care facilities. The overall posture of the bill is precautionary and supportive of stronger emergency response capability in long-term care settings.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record. Potential areas of concern, if raised in future debate, could include the cost of purchasing and maintaining AEDs, training and staffing obligations, and how the commissioner would determine the required number and placement of devices. Another possible issue is whether existing emergency response protocols in these facilities are already sufficient or whether a statewide mandate is necessary.
Requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide and maintain automated external defibrillators in quantities and types deemed by the commissioner to be adequate to ensure ready and appropriate access for use during emergencies.
An Act Requiring Nursing Homes And Assisted Living Facilities To Be Equipped With Automatic External Defibrillators And To Have A Plan For Their Use During Emergencies.
Conditions for admission to or continued residence in nursing homes and assisted living facilities prohibited, facilities required to maintain automatic external defibrillators, and training requirements modified.
Certain admission conditions or continued residence in nursing homes and assisted living facilities prohibition, automatic defibrillators requirement provision, and employee training requirements modifications