What's happening
This bill clarifies that municipalities requesting fire or police aid are liable only for losses they are deemed responsible for.
Why it matters
Clarifies municipal liability during mutual aid. By specifying that municipalities are only liable for losses they are "deemed to be responsible for," the bill may reduce concerns about being held financially accountable for damage or loss outside their control when requesting aid.
Could encourage requests for emergency assistance. Municipalities may be more willing to seek help from neighboring fire or police departments, knowing they are not automatically liable for all potential losses, potentially improving public safety responses.
Limits financial risk for requesting municipalities. The bill narrows the scope of what costs must be covered, which may help protect municipal budgets from unexpected or excessive claims related to mutual aid operations.
Preserves state resources. The language continues to exempt apparatus, equipment, and supplies owned or provided by the state from local liability, ensuring state assets used in mutual aid are not subject to local reimbursement requirements.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Clarify Outside Aid Liability
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in local governments
- Referred to local governments
- Referred to local governments
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5589
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 13, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BRABENEC -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to liability for outside aid
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 209-g of the general municipal law, as amended by section 9 of part A of chapter 101 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, general, special or local, any county, city, town, village or fire district requesting fire aid pursuant to section two hundred nine-e of this article or any county, city, town or village requesting police aid pursuant to section two hundred nine-f of this article, shall be liable and responsible to the assisting municipal corporation or fire district for any loss of or damage, which it is deemed to be responsible for, to apparatus or equipment or supplies and shall bear and pay the expense incurred in the operation and maintenance of any such apparatus or equipment and the cost of materials and supplies used or consumed in rendering such aid and assistance, but such liability and responsibility shall not apply or extend to apparatus, equipment, materials and supplies owned or supplied by the state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08148-01-9
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.