NY Pub Auth L § 3551 (2021)
2021 New York Laws PBA - Public Authorities Article 10-C - New York Health Care Corporations Title 4 - Roswell Park Cancer Institute Corporation Act 3551 - Legislative Findings and Purposes.

§  3551.  Legislative  findings  and  purposes. The legislature hereby   finds and declares as follows:1. The Roswell Park Cancer Institute is a public hospital and  medical   research  center  in Buffalo owned and operated by the state of New York   and its department of health. Roswell Park is the oldest cancer research   and treatment facility in the country  and  one  of  the  initial  three   comprehensive cancer centers designated in the 1971 National Cancer Act.   The  Institute's  mission from its inception has focused on research and   the  translation  of  research  findings  to   the   clinical   setting.   Ultimately,   advances  in  prevention,  detection,  and  treatment  are   transferred to the  wider  community  through  Roswell's  leadership  in   national  clinical  trials, publications, medical training programs, and   extensive outreach efforts to communities and hospitals across New  York   state.2.  Roswell  Park also has a significant direct and indirect impact on   the economy of Western New York.3. From its founding in eighteen hundred ninety-eight, Roswell  Park's   contribution   to   New  York's  public  health  care  system  has  been   unparalleled.4. The Institute has  focused  its  scientific  programs  through  the   reallocation  of resources and new emphasis being placed in the areas of   immunology,  structural  biology  and  molecular  genetics  and  genetic   epidemiology.   The  advanced  cancer  care  and  specialized  treatment   modalities  provided  by  Roswell  Park  are  available  at  few   other   institutions  in  the  country.  These  new cancer treatment techniques,   therapies and inventions developed at Roswell Park have  generated  many   of  the basic therapies used today to treat cancer and have improved the   cure rate of childhood  cancer  and  certain  common  cancers  including   prostate, colorectal and some skin cancers.5.  The  combination  of basic medical research with advanced clinical   treatment practiced at Roswell Park Cancer Institute is unique, and  the   proper  discharge  of  the  research  and  education  functions  of  the   Institute requires that these functions continue to  be  partnered  with   state of the art clinical treatment capabilities.6.  New  York  state  has  made a strong commitment to maintaining the   international leadership of Roswell Park. Two hundred forty-one  million   five  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  bonds  were  issued  for the major   modernization project which will culminate in a new campus  in  nineteen   hundred  ninety-eight, the Institute's centennial year.  Ultimately, the   major modernization is designed  to  create  an  integrated  and  modern   campus  to  meet  the  needs  of  a  progressive, high technology cancer   research and treatment center well into the twenty-first century.7. However, this tangible commitment has  occurred  while  the  health   care   industry   has   experienced  revolutionary  changes  which  have   significantly impacted health  care  in  New  York.  For  instance,  the   penetration  of  managed  care and the formation of at least three large   health care delivery systems in Western New York  pose  new  competitive   challenges  for  Roswell  Park  Cancer  Institute.  In order to meet the   demands of the changing health  care  marketplace  and  to  promote  the   strengths  and  capabilities  of Roswell Park, the legislature concludes   that the needs of the residents of the state of New York are best served   by a change in the Institute's governance structure to afford it  legal,   financial, market and managerial flexibility.8.  Therefore, with the enactment of this legislation it is the intent   of the legislature for Roswell Park to pursue its mission well into  the   twenty-first   century,   to  retain  its  international  leadership  in   specialized  cancer  therapies  and  to  reinforce  its  already  strong   commitment  to  the  greater Western New York community it serves and to    continue to treat patients without regard to their ability to  pay.  The   creation of the Roswell Park Corporation, as provided in this act, is in   all  respects  for  the  public  benefit of the people of New York, is a   public  purpose,  and the exercise by such corporation of its functions,   powers and duties constitutes the performance of an essential public and   governmental function. The powers and  authority  granted  by  this  act   shall   be  construed  to  afford  the  Roswell  Park  Cancer  Institute   Corporation the flexibility required to accomplish its mission.9. The legislature further finds and declares that  the  employees  of   the Roswell Park Cancer Institute have contributed to the success of its   cancer  research and treatment efforts, and will continue to be critical   to its future success. Therefore,  the  provisions  of  this  act  which   provide  for  civil  service  coverage,  collective  bargaining  rights,   retirement rights and other employee protections shall be  construed  to   ensure that the rights of employees are protected.