N.Y. Public Health Law § 236-b: Rural health council

§ 236-b. Rural health council. 1. There shall be established within

the office a rural health council to be composed of twenty-one members

who shall be appointed by the governor, with ten of these members

appointed as follows:

a. four members upon the recommendation of the temporary president of

the senate;

b. one member upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the

senate;

c. four members upon the recommendation of the speaker of the

assembly; and

d. one member upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the

assembly.

Vacancies in the membership of such council shall be filled by the

appropriate appointing authority. The governor shall select a

chairperson from among the members of the council. The members of the

council shall be reflective of the state's rural areas, as defined in

subdivision seven of section four hundred eighty-one of the executive

law, and shall include representatives of health care providers that

comprise the health care delivery system in the state's rural areas,

individuals with expertise in clinical and administrative aspects of

health care delivery, health care financing and reimbursement, health

care regulation, public health, health planning, health workforce

education, and behavioral health.

2. The rural health council shall be responsible for advising the

commissioner with respect to all aspects of rural health care and rural

health care delivery including, but not limited to, the impact of

proposed programs, statutes, regulations and health care reimbursement

policies. The rural health council shall also assist the office with its

responsibilities as delineated in section two hundred thirty-six of this

title; contribute to the biennial report required pursuant to section

two hundred thirty-seven of this title, and act as liaison and advocate

on rural health matters.

3. The rural health council shall recommend to the department

cost-effective ways to obtain timely data on the status of the health

care workforce supply in rural areas. At least once every three years

the rural health council shall, in conjunction with the office, submit a

report to the regional economic development councils on the status of

the health care workforce supply in their respective regions to the

extent data on the health care workforce supply is available.

4. Staff support for the rural health council shall be provided for by

the office as provided for in section two hundred thirty-six of this

title.

5. The rural health council shall meet as frequently as its business

may require, but not less than two times a year. Meetings may be called

by the chairperson at the request of the commissioner.

6. The entirety of each meeting of the rural health council shall be

live webcast to the public on the department's website, and archived on

the department's website, for a period of no less than two years, within

twenty-four hours of the adjournment of the last meeting. The department

shall provide notice to the public, via the department's website, of the

availability of the live webcast of each such meeting.

7. The members of the rural health council shall receive no

compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and

necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties

hereunder.