What's happening
This bill requires New York State to create and maintain a centralized database of all firefighters, updated and reported annually.
Why it matters
Enhances oversight and accountability. By creating a centralized reporting system, the state can better track who is serving as a firefighter—both professional and volunteer—across all entities, improving transparency and oversight of the firefighting workforce.
Standardizes definitions and qualifications. The bill clearly defines what qualifies someone as an “active firefighting member,” including required training and ongoing education, which could help ensure that all active firefighters meet consistent safety and competency standards.
Improves public safety planning and resource allocation. Annual reporting and data collection will give state leaders a comprehensive view of firefighter numbers and qualifications, potentially informing better policy decisions, funding allocations, and emergency preparedness strategies.
Facilitates legislative and executive review. Requiring the data to be submitted annually to the governor and legislative leaders creates a formal mechanism for ongoing review, which could drive improvements in recruitment, retention, and support for firefighting organizations statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Track All New York Firefighters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5586
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 13, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. MANKTELOW, DeSTEFANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. McDONOUGH, NORRIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a data base of all firefighters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 157-a to read as follows:
§ 157-a. Firefighters' data base. 1. The office of fire prevention and control shall establish and maintain a centralized reporting system and data base of the names and firefighting organizations of all firefighters in the state.
2. Every fire department, fire company, fire district and any other entity employing professional or volunteer firefighters shall submit to the office of fire prevention and control a list of all officers and inactive and active firefighting members, on or before January thirtyfirst each year. Such list shall include such information and shall be submitted in a form as determined by the state fire administrator.
3. For the purposes of this section an "active firefighting member" shall be a firefighter who: (a) is a member of a firefighting organization, (b) regularly participates in firefighting duties, (c) has completed a basic firefighting course approved by the firefighting and code enforcement personnel standards and education commission, and (d) annually completes the fire safety training course as required by the department of labor.
4. On or before March thirty-first each year, the office of fire prevention and control shall submit a copy of all information contained in the firefighters' data base to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08841-01-9
A. 5586 2
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. 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 and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.