What's happening
This bill allows spouses of emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians killed on duty in New York City to receive awards similar to those given to spouses of firefighters and police officers.
Why it matters
Expands recognition and support. for EMTs and advanced EMTs by granting their families the same financial award previously reserved for firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty, acknowledging the similar risks these professionals face.
Provides greater financial security. to surviving spouses, domestic partners, or dependents of EMTs and advanced EMTs, ensuring the award is at least equal to the salary of a first-grade emergency responder, which could be a significant sum in times of sudden loss.
Signals a shift in public policy. by elevating the status of emergency medical personnel, reflecting a broader understanding of the dangers and sacrifices inherent in their roles, potentially fostering greater morale and retention in these critical services.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Aid for Fallen EMT Spouses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.387
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.607
- Substituted for A7603
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.2040
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to cities
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.
Support for Fallen EMT Families
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5706
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 26, 2017
Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing awards to spouses of emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians who are killed while engaged in the discharge of duty
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-401 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 27 of the city of New York for the year 1998 and the closing paragraph as amended by chapter 582 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3-401 Awards to spouses of killed firefighters, police officers [and], transit police officers, emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians. The mayor is authorized and empowered to make an award to the spouse or domestic partner of a member of the uniformed force of the police department, fire department, including emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians employed by the fire department, or uniformed transit police force, maintained by the New York city transit authority, killed while engaged in the discharge of duty. Such award shall equal the annual salary of such member at the time of death, but in no case less than the full salary payable to a first grade police officer, firefighter [or], transit police officer, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician at the date of death of such employee.
In case there shall be no spouse or domestic partner surviving such member, the award shall be made to the minor child or children surviving such member. In case there shall be no spouse or domestic partner nor child nor children so surviving the award may be made to the dependent mother, father, or other dependents of such member. Such award shall be made in one payment as soon after the death of such member as may be
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11176-01-7
S. 5706 2
possible and shall be in addition to any pension, award or other allowances authorized by law.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and solely for the purposes of this section, a member otherwise covered by this section shall be deemed to have been killed while engaged in the discharge of duty upon which his or her membership is based, provided that such member was in active service upon which his or her membership is based at the time that such member was ordered to active duty pursuant to Title 10 of the United States Code, with the armed forces of the United States or to service in the uniformed services pursuant to Chapter 43 of Title 38 of the United States Code, and such member died while on such active duty or service in the uniformed services on or after June fourteenth, two thousand five while serving on such active military duty or in the uniformed services.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing awards to spouses of emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians who are killed while engaged in the discharge of duty
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to provide awards to spouses of killed emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians, who died while engaged in the discharge of their duties.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends section 3-401 of the administrative code of the city of New York to provide an award to surviving spouses of emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians killed while discharging their duties.
Section two of the bill provides that this act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Section 3-401 of the NYC Administrative Code, in its present form, only provides awards to spouses of killed firefighters, police officers and transit police officers. Like firefighters and police, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and advanced emergency medical technicians (Paramedics) also work as emergency first responders, and are required to render aid and treatment to patients under extremely dangerous and stressful conditions. Indeed, as made clear by the recent tragic death of Yadira Arroyo, an EMT and mother of five who was killed while performing her duties in the Bronx, the hazards of working as an EMT are so analogous to the characteristics of the work of uniformed police and fire personnel that there is every reason the spouses of EMTs and Paramedics should be given equivalent death benefits in the event of an untimely death while engaged in the performance of their duties.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.