Bill Text: NY A08307 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the "commission on volunteer fire departments" to be chaired by the commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to evaluate the need for resources for volunteer fire departments and to report such findings to the governor and legislature.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to local governments [A08307 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A08307-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8307

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      June 13, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. NORRIS -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Local Governments

        AN ACT to create the "commission on volunteer fire departments" to eval-
          uate the need for resources for volunteer fire departments

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. (a) There is hereby created a commission to be known as the
     2  "commission on volunteer fire departments", hereafter referred to as the
     3  "commission", which  shall  be  tasked  with  evaluating  the  need  for
     4  resources for volunteer fire departments within the state.
     5    (b)  The  commission  shall  consist  of  eleven  members: six members
     6  appointed by the governor, one of which shall include  the  commissioner
     7  of  the  division  of homeland security and emergency services who shall
     8  serve as the chairperson, the director of the office of fire  prevention
     9  and  control,  one  member  appointed  by the temporary president of the
    10  senate, one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one  member
    11  appointed  by the minority leader of the senate and one member appointed
    12  by the minority leader of the assembly. All appointments to the  commis-
    13  sion shall be made within ninety days of the effective date of this act.
    14    (c)  The commission shall have the authority to direct the division of
    15  homeland security and emergency services to conduct any study related to
    16  researching or evaluating the status of volunteer fire departments with-
    17  in the state.
    18    (d) The commission shall consult with, or  attempt  to  consult  with,
    19  representatives  from the following organizations regarding the research
    20  or study of the status of volunteer fire departments within the state: a
    21  designee from the Firemen's Association of the  State  of  New  York,  a
    22  designee  from  the  New  York State Association of Counties, a designee
    23  from the New York Commission of Mayors, a designee  from  the  New  York
    24  State  Association  of  Fire  Chiefs, a designee from the Association of
    25  Fire Districts of New York, a designee from the  Volunteer  Fire  Police

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13261-01-9
        A. 8307                             2

     1  Association of the State of New York, the County Fire Coordinators Asso-
     2  ciation of the State of New York and the New York State Fire Marshal and
     3  Inspectors Association.
     4    (e)  The  members  of the commission shall receive no compensation for
     5  their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
     6  incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
     7    (f) The commission shall submit a  written  report  to  the  governor,
     8  temporary president of the senate, minority leader of the senate, speak-
     9  er  of  the assembly and minority leader of the assembly detailing their
    10  findings.  This report shall be made publicly available on the  division
    11  of  homeland security and emergency services' website within thirty days
    12  of being published.
    13    § 2. (a) The study shall evaluate staffing requirements for all volun-
    14  teer fire departments and volunteer emergency medical and volunteer fire
    15  police services within the state and subsequently develop  a  comprehen-
    16  sive recruitment and retention program. The commission shall also deter-
    17  mine,  in  conjunction  with  all  volunteer fire departments within the
    18  state, minimum needs of fire department apparatus, turnout gear,  rescue
    19  gear  or EMS lifesaving equipment and currently used equipment that does
    20  not meet the most current safety standards.
    21    (b) The commission shall include in their report an estimated cost  of
    22  replacing  or  renovating  fire department apparatus, vehicles, personal
    23  protective  equipment,  fire  department  structures,  recruitment   and
    24  retention  programs  or  any  other  necessary expenses outlined in such
    25  report, and assessed at the county level.
    26    (c) The commission shall hold at least three  public  hearings  within
    27  the  state,  one  in  each  of the following appellate districts: second
    28  appellate district;  third  appellate  district;  and  fourth  appellate
    29  district.
    30    (d)  The commission shall conduct and complete the study no later than
    31  the first of December next succeeding the third calendar year after  the
    32  effective date of this act.
    33    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.