What's happening
This bill increases weekly disability benefits to $650 for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers injured in the line of duty after July 1, 2018.
Why it matters
Addresses financial hardship for volunteers. By raising the weekly disability benefits, the bill aims to better support volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who are unable to work due to injuries sustained while serving their communities, helping them manage living expenses during recovery.
May improve recruitment and retention. Enhanced benefits could make volunteering in these crucial emergency services more attractive, potentially helping local departments recruit and retain personnel in the face of declining volunteer numbers.
Recognizes changing economic realities. The update acknowledges that previous benefit levels may not reflect current costs of living or medical expenses, providing a more realistic safety net for injured volunteers and their families.
Sets a clearer standard for future incidents. By establishing a specific benefit amount for injuries occurring after July 1, 2018, the bill clarifies coverage and could reduce confusion or disputes over compensation for newer cases.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Benefits for Volunteers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Print number 3904a
- Amend and recommit to local government
- Referred to local government
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to local government
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.
Boost Benefits for Volunteer Responders
In Senate Committee · Local Government · Sponsor William Magnarelli
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3904--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2017
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, BONACIC, FUNKE, HELMING, LARKIN, ORTT, ROBACH, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and the volunteer ambulance workers' law, in relation to updating benefits and modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of duty
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The volunteer firefighters' benefit law is amended by adding a new section 9-a to read as follows:
§ 9-a. Total disability benefits for injuries on or after July first, two thousand eighteen. Notwithstanding the provisions of section eight or nine of this article, in the case of temporary total disability and permanent total disability when the volunteer firefighter is injured in the line of duty on or after July first, two thousand eighteen, said firefighter shall receive six hundred fifty dollars per week during the continuance thereof.
§ 2. The volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law is amended by adding a new section 9-a to read as follows:
§ 9-a. Total disability benefits for injuries on or after July first, two thousand eighteen. Notwithstanding the provisions of section eight or nine of this article, in the case of temporary total disability and permanent total disability when the volunteer ambulance worker is injured in the line of duty on or after July first, two thousand eighteen, said ambulance worker shall receive six hundred fifty dollars per week during the continuance thereof.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05236-03-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and the volunteer ambulance workers' law, in relation to updating benefits and modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of duty
Purpose
This legislation updates and modernizes certain provisions of law relat- ing to the volunteer fire service. The purpose of the legislation is to more accurately reflect current emergency response practices and to bring the state of the law for volunteers into greater parity with other segments of the response community.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the volunteer firefighters' benefit law (VFBL) to provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line of duty.
Section 2 amends the volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law (VAWBL) to provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line of duty.
Section 3 establishes effective date.
Justification
Awards under the volunteer firefighters benefit law and the volunteer benefits laws have not been increased since 1992. The workers compen- sation law, on the other hand, was amended in 2007 to provide an employ- ee who is totally disabled to receive an award equal to two thirds of the New York State average wage; an award that amounted to $775 in 2011.
This bill seeks to narrow the gap between the workers compensation law and VFBL and VABL by increasing awards to volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who are totally disabled to six hundred fifty dollars per week.
Legislative history
2017 - S. 3904 - Rules Committee/A. 6367 - Passed Assembly. 2015-16 - S. 2719a - Local Government Committee/A. 1627a - Passed Assem- bly. 2013-14 - S. 3589b - Local Government Committee/A. 485b - Passed Assem- bly.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
Immediate.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.