3012 - Enforcement.
§ 3012. Enforcement. 1. Any ambulance service or advanced life support first response service certificate issued pursuant to section three thousand five of this article may be revoked, suspended, limited or annulled by the department upon proof that the operator or certificate holder or one or more enrolled members or one or more persons in his employ: (a) has been guilty of misrepresentation in obtaining the certificate or in the operation of the ambulance service or advanced life support first response service; or (b) has not been competent in the operation of the service or has shown inability to provide adequate ambulance services or advanced life support first response service; or (c) has failed to pay the biennial certification fee as required except in the case of any voluntary ambulance service or voluntary advanced life support first response service; or (d) has failed to file any report required by the provisions of this article or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; or (e) has violated or aided and abetted in the violation of any provision of this article, the rules and regulations promulgated or continued thereunder, or the state sanitary code; or (f) had discontinued operations for a period in excess of one month; or (g) a voluntary ambulance service or voluntary advanced life support first response service has failed to meet the minimum staffing standard and has not been issued an exemption, except that such certificate shall not be suspended or revoked unless the commissioner finds that an adequate alternative service exists. The commissioner shall consider the recommendation of the regional emergency medical services council in making a finding; or (h) an ambulance service operating for profit has failed to meet the minimum staffing standard; or (i) has been convicted of a crime or pleaded nolo contendere to a felony charge involving murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse, theft, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, drug abuse, or sale of drugs, unless the commissioner finds that such conviction does not demonstrate a present risk or danger to patients or the public; or (j) is or was subject to a state or federal administrative order relating to fraud or embezzlement, unless the commissioner finds that such order does not demonstrate a present risk or danger to patients or the public. 2. Proceedings under this section may be initiated by any person, corporation, association, or public officer, or by the department by the filing of written charges with the department. Whenever the department seeks revocation or suspension of a certificate of an ambulance service or an advanced life support first response service, a copy of the charges shall be referred to the appropriate regional council for review and recommendation to the department prior to a hearing. Such recommendation shall include a determination as to whether the public need would be served by a revocation, suspension, annulment or limitation. If there is no appropriate regional council established, the state council shall make such determination and present to the department its recommendations. 3. No certificate shall be revoked, suspended, limited or annulled without a hearing. However, a certificate may be temporarily suspended without a hearing and without the approval of the appropriate regional council or state council for a period not in excess of thirty days upon notice to the certificate holder following a finding by the department that the public health, safety or welfare is in imminent danger.4. The commissioner shall fix a time and place for the hearing. A copy of the charges and the recommendations of the appropriate regional council or state council together with the notice of the time and place of the hearing, shall be mailed to the certificate holder by registered or certified mail, at the address specified on the certificate, at least fifteen days before the date fixed for the hearing. The appropriate regional council may be a party to such hearing. The certificate holder may file with the department, not less than five days prior to the hearing, a written answer to the charges.