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History
- Referred to local government
- Referred to local government
Companion bill
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Relates to permanent total disability benefits received by disabled volunteer firefighters
In Assembly Committee · Local Governments · Sponsor Joseph Morelle
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law, in relation to the payment of benefits
Purpose
To provide for a cost-of-living adjustment to benefits received by disabled volunteer firefighters in New York State.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends Section 8 of the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law by adding a new subsection 2 which reads: Benefits received pursuant to subdivision one of this section after January first, two thousand ten shall be adjusted yearly on February first by a percentage equal to the percent increase in the previous year's consumer price index.
Section 2. Subdivision 5 of section 51 of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law is renumbered subdivision 6 and a new subdivision 5 is added to read as follows: The insurance carrier or entity responsible for paying the benefit increase provided in section eight of this chapter shall claim for such benefit increase reimbursement from the special fund for reopened cases commencing one year from the date of the first such payment and annually thereafter while such payments continue, on a form prescribed by the chair.
Section 3. Sets the enactment date.
Existing law
No existing provisions for a cost-of-living adjustment for benefits paid to volunteer firefighters.
Justification
Volunteer firefighters who are injured in the course of their volunteer service are eligible under State law to receive workers' compensation for their injuries. The State has enacted these benefits in recognition that these volunteers provide enormously important services to our communities.
Chapter 574 of the laws of 1998, raised the benefit level for all volunteer firefighters with permanent total disabilities to the maximum amount of $400 a week regardless of their date of injury.
Recognizing that inflationary forces make it increasingly difficult to subsist on a fixed income, this legislation institutes a cost-of-living adjustment for all disabled volunteer firefighters. Adequately compensating the men and women, who sacrifice their safety and their time to protect the safety of others, for their injuries incurred in the line of duty is the least we, as a State, can do to thank them for their unselfish service.
This cost-of-living adjustment shall apply to weekly benefit periods after January 1, 2010.
Legislative history
2005-2006: S.1072-B - Passed Both Houses, Veto Memo 288; 2007-2008 -Local Government.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to weekly benefit periods that commence after January 1, 2010.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.