Bill Text: NY S04531 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
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
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. LBD09910-01-7S. 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.