What's happening
This bill allows volunteer fire and ambulance organizations to participate in Empire Knowledgebank training programs and use grants for related education.
Why it matters
Expands professional development opportunities. by allowing volunteer fire and ambulance organizations to access the Empire Knowledgebank, a state-run online training resource previously unavailable to them.
Enables use of grant funding for broader education purposes. , specifically supporting participation in technology and knowledge-based courses, which could improve operational readiness and retention of volunteers.
Recognizes the evolving training needs of volunteer responders. , acknowledging that modern emergency response increasingly relies on digital skills and up-to-date knowledge beyond traditional, in-person instruction.
May enhance recruitment and retention efforts. by providing volunteers with access to valuable educational resources, making service more attractive and supporting long-term organizational sustainability.
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Headline styles
Train Volunteer Fire and EMS
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Training for Volunteers
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Steven Englebright
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3748
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 26, 2017
Introduced by Sen. GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
AN ACT to amend the state technology law and the state finance law, in relation to training and education courses for certain organizations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 103 of the state technology law is amended by adding a new subdivision 22 to read as follows:
22. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any fire district or volunteer fire company or volunteer ambulance company or statewide organization that represents the interests of the volunteer fire service and/or the volunteer ambulance service shall be eligible to participate in the program commonly referred to or known as the Empire Knowledgebank or any such successor program offered by the office. The director is authorized and directed to adopt, amend or rescind any rules and/or regulations necessary or convenient to implement the provisions of this section. For purposes of this section, the term "volunteer fire company" shall mean a fire company as such term is defined in section one hundred of the general municipal law and the term "volunteer ambulance company" shall mean a voluntary ambulance service as such term is defined in section one hundred of the general municipal law.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 99-q of the state finance law, as added by chapter 490 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
3. Moneys in such fund shall be expended only to provide grants to volunteer firefighting and volunteer emergency services organizations and to statewide organizations which represent the interests of volunteer firefighters and/or volunteer emergency services providers for the purpose of encouraging the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency services personnel. Such purposes may include, but need not be limited to: participation in training and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03886-01-7
S. 3748 2
education courses offered pursuant to subdivision twenty-two of section one hundred three of the state technology law, development and implementation of marketing plans, publicity campaigns, and community awareness initiatives; design, production and distribution of promotional merchandise, brochures and other materials; sponsorship of local community events designed to help recruit volunteers; newspaper publications, promotional mailings and other advertising designed to help recruit volunteers.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, provided however that, effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state technology law and the state finance law, in relation to training and education courses for certain organizations
Purpose or general idea of bill
To make volunteer emergency response organizations eligible for the Empire Knowledge Bank program offered by the NYS Office of Information Technology Services.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 103 of the state technology law to make fire districts, volunteer fire organizations, and volunteer ambulance organizations eligible to participate in the Empire Knowledge Bank program offered by the NYS Office of Information Technology Services.
Read the full memo (685 words)
Section 2 amends subdivision 3 of section 99-q of the state finance law to make participation in the Empire Knowledge Bank program eligible for grant funding through the Volunteer Firefighting and Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Fund.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
The Empire Knowledge Bank is a training and education program offered by the NYS Office of Information Technology. The program is an e-learning program that provides a convenient and cost-effective way to continue training and develop professional skills. The program offers over 3,000 courses in information technology (e.g. programming, web development, security), professional development (e.g. management, leadership, project management, accounting, human resources), and desktop software (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, etc.). For a small fee, dozens of government agencies have participated in the Empire Know- ledge Bank in recent years. At this time, the program is not open to not-for-profit volunteer emergency response organizations.Volunteer emergency response organizations are experiencing difficulty with retention of existing members and the recruitment of new members. Training and education opportunities are benefits that are projected to enhance recruitment and retention efforts within the volunteer fire service. The courses offered through the Empire Knowledge Bank program would serve the volunteer fire service well at both the organizational level and at the individual volunteer level.At the organizational level, courses in accounting or financial management would be helpful for proper record-keeping and financial duties at the firehouse or ambulance company. Also, courses in information technology and software applications will assist in improving administrative effectiveness and efficiency. This type of training and education will help volunteer fire companies and ambulance companies better serve the communities they protect. For individual emergency response volunteers, the Empire Knowledge Bank provides various personal and professional benefits. For example, some volunteer emergency responders are small business owners. The professional development courses offered in the program may provide useful education on how to improve operations at their business, or help them develop a skill that they currently do not possess. In addition, according to the website for the Office of Information Technology Services, the program also offers courses that provide continuing education credits and courses that follow professional tracks for Six Sigma, Project Management, and others. Making this type of training available to volunteer responders will help retain existing volunteers that are working to maintain their volunteer and professional activities. Further, some courses may even be eligible for college credit. These courses will be especially attractive to young men and women that are interested in volunteering but have not done so because of their need to work in order to pay for college.By making volunteer fire and ambulance companies eligible for the Empire Knowledge Bank, volunteers will be provided with personal and professional development benefits that will aid in the recruitment and retention of members. This will help ensure that our communities have the volunteers they need in order to ensure the highest levels of fire protection and emergency response services.
Prior legislative history
2013-14 S6592 passed senate 2015-16 54552 referred to energy and telecommunications
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, provided however that, effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.