Bill Text: NY S04531 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes volunteer firefighters from other states to offer and provide their services to fire departments, districts and companies in this state.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-22 - RECOMMIT, ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN [S04531 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S04531-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4531
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    February 16, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sens. HELMING, RITCHIE -- (at request of the Legislative
          Commission on Rural Resources) -- read twice and ordered printed,  and
          when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
        AN  ACT  to  amend the general municipal law, in relation to authorizing
          volunteer firefighters from other states to provide assistance to fire
          departments, companies and districts in this state
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.  Section  209-i of the general municipal law is amended by
     2  adding a new subdivision 1-c to read as follows:
     3    1-c. An out-of-state firefighter who, because of a second residence or
     4  military service, is regularly in an area served  by  a  volunteer  fire
     5  company  or  fire department may volunteer their services on an on-going
     6  basis to such fire company or fire department for the purpose of assist-
     7  ing  such  company  or  department's  general  or  emergency   ambulance
     8  services,  or  for  the  purpose  of assisting such fire company or fire
     9  department at a fire or other emergency scene  or  for  the  purpose  of
    10  training  with  such fire company or fire department, provided that such
    11  company or department is authorized  to  accept  such  services  by  the
    12  legislative  body  of the city or the village, the board of fire commis-
    13  sioners or other governing board of the fire district, or the town board
    14  of the town in relation to (a)  the  fire  companies  serving  territory
    15  outside  villages  and  fire districts or (b) a town fire department, as
    16  the case may be. Upon application by an out-of-state firefighter, a fire
    17  company or fire department  shall  determine  whether  the  out-of-state
    18  firefighter meets the minimum certifications for active members of their
    19  company  or  department  and whether the out-of-state fire-fighter is in
    20  good standing with the fire company or department in which they normally
    21  serve. If a volunteer  fire  company  or  fire  department  accepts  the
    22  services of an out-of-state firefighter, such firefighter shall be enti-
    23  tled  to all powers, rights, privileges and immunities granted by law to
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09910-01-7
        S. 4531                             2
     1  volunteer firefighters during  the  time  such  services  are  rendered,
     2  provided, however, such firefighter shall not be eligible to participate
     3  in  a  service  award  program  as  authorized  by articles eleven-A and
     4  eleven-AAAA  of  the general municipal law nor shall such firefighter be
     5  eligible for coverage under section eleven-c of the volunteer firefight-
     6  ers' benefit law relating to diseases of the lung and section  sixty-one
     7  of  the  volunteer  firefighters'  benefit  law  relating  to disease or
     8  malfunction of heart or coronary  arteries  and  any  other  presumptive
     9  coverage  for  impairment of health or death. Upon acceptance of an out-
    10  of-state firefighter to a fire company or fire department, such  company
    11  or  department  shall  provide to the applicant, and the applicant shall
    12  acknowledge receipt of, the following written statement: "If a volunteer
    13  fire company or fire department accepts the services of an  out-of-state
    14  firefighter,  such  firefighter shall be entitled to all powers, rights,
    15  privileges and immunities  granted  by  law  to  volunteer  firefighters
    16  during  the  time  such  services  are rendered, provided, however, such
    17  firefighter shall not be eligible to  participate  in  a  service  award
    18  program as authorized by articles 11-A and 11-AAAA of the general munic-
    19  ipal  law,  nor  shall  such firefighters be eligible for coverage under
    20  section eleven-c of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law, relating to
    21  diseases of the lung, and section  61  of  the  volunteer  firefighters'
    22  benefit  law,  relating  to  disease or malfunction of heart or coronary
    23  arteries, and any other presumptive coverage for impairment of health or
    24  death."
    25    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.