Relates to the impact of hospital closures on healthcare access in the state

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Health · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Health · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Section 1: Legislative findings Subsection 1: Declare serious public emergency regarding hospital closures across New York State and provides the need to protect public health, safety, and the general welfare, strengthening the department of health's reporting efforts to ensure the findings are accessible to the public and legislature. Section 2: Provides that the Department of Health shall provide a produce a report that examines impact of hospital closures on healthcare access in the state and engage with public health experts, labor repre- sentatives, community leaders, and residents. Subsection 1: Requires that the report include statewide data categor- ized by county or relevant zip code; Subsection 1(a): Report on number of hospitals and hospital networks; average number of total and available hospital beds; number of acute care hospital beds per one thousand residents; number of Medicare and Medicaid recipients and the percentage of insured and uninsured patients served; projected market shares of all hospitals and hospital networks in New York State; financial condition of hospitals and hospital networks that have submitted a proposal for closure to the Department of Health within the past year; travel times between hospitals providing similar services, including public transportation options; number and location of hospitals that have closed or reduced services in the previ- ous five years, including unit closures or reductions in patient capaci- ty; regions where additional hospitals are currently needed based on public needs; demographics of patients served by each hospital and hospital network in the previous five years, including race, sex, gender, age, economic status, and disability status; payor mix of the patients served by each hospital for the previous five years; number of staff currently employed at each hospital and hospital network; access to each hospital and hospital network by public or private transporta- tion, including transportation sponsored by the hospital and hospital network; nature and scope of healthcare services currently provided in each hospital and hospital network; change in service volume in each hospital and hospital network over the previous five years. Subsection 1(b): Establishes that if the DOH does not have access to the data listed in paragraph (a), it must collect such data or explain its inability to do so. Subsection 1(c): The department of health must produce the report by April 1, 2027, and distribute it to key legislative leaders and commit- tees. The report must also be posted publicly on the department's website within one week of distribution. Subsection 2: The report must use the data to define and identify areas at risk of future hospital closures, designated as "distressed health- care zones." Subsection 3: Requires the department of health to issue a successive report every three years, updating the designations of distressed healthcare zones, which will be prioritized when allocating healthcare spending and issuing certificates of need. Section 3: The act takes effect immediately, the commissioner of health and the public health and health planning council responsible for making necessary regulations and taking actions to implement the act.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

• Vote: Floor vote

  NY SenateApr 29, 2026Result: passed

  Voted yes (58)Voted no (0)Voted present (0)Absent (5)

  See member positions for the vote on Apr 29, 2026 (Floor vote)

• Vote: Committee vote · Health

  Senate HealthApr 21, 2026Result: passed

  Voted yes (15)Voted no (0)Voted present (0)Absent (0)

  See member positions for the vote on Apr 21, 2026 (Committee vote · Health)

• Vote: Floor vote

  NY SenateFeb 26, 2025Result: passed

  Voted yes (61)Voted no (0)Voted present (0)Absent (2)

  See member positions for the vote on Feb 26, 2025 (Floor vote)

• Vote: Committee vote · Health

  Senate HealthFeb 12, 2025Result: passed

  Voted yes (15)Voted no (0)Voted present (0)Absent (0)

  See member positions for the vote on Feb 12, 2025 (Committee vote · Health)

Full history

1. Apr 29, 2026

   Sent to the executive

   DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

   NY Senate

2. Apr 29, 2026

   Passed a chamber

   PASSED SENATE

   NY Senate

3. Apr 29, 2026

   Referred to committee

   REFERRED TO HEALTH

   NY Assembly

4. Apr 27, 2026

   Advanced to Third Reading

   ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

   NY Senate

5. Apr 22, 2026

   2ND Report CAL.

   2ND REPORT CAL.

   NY Senate

About this record

Summary

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Source

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 31, 2026. About our data

Read the record

• Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.