What's happening
This bill creates a special fund for purchasing bullet-proof vests for police officers and canines, funded by voluntary taxpayer donations.
Why it matters
Creates a dedicated, transparent fund. By establishing a special fund specifically for bullet-proof vests, the bill ensures that donations are used only for this purpose, reducing the risk of funds being diverted to unrelated expenses.
Extends protection to police canines. The bill explicitly includes canine units, recognizing the important and dangerous roles these animals play, and ensuring their safety is prioritized alongside human officers.
Empowers individuals to directly support law enforcement safety. Through a voluntary tax return donation, New Yorkers can actively choose to fund protective gear for officers, fostering community involvement and support for public safety.
Provides flexibility in funding sources. The legislation allows the fund to accept not only taxpayer gifts but also grants, bequests, and other legal transfers, potentially broadening the resources available for purchasing life-saving equipment.
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Who cares
Police officers and police canine units
The bill would create a fund to provide officers and canines serving in canine units with bullet-proof vests for use in the line of duty.
Division of Criminal Justice Services
The division would receive allocated funds for vests, with its commissioner setting statewide distribution guidelines and deciding how vests are distributed.
New York personal income taxpayers
Starting with tax years beginning in 2020, individuals could make whole-dollar contributions through their tax returns without reducing their state tax liability.
State comptroller and Department of Taxation and Finance
They would hold custody of the fund, with the comptroller auditing payments and the tax commissioner adding a contribution option to personal income tax returns.
Headline styles
Fund Bulletproof Vests for Officers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
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.
Fund Vests for Police
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1152
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law and the tax law, in relation to establishing the bullet-proof vests for officers fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ff to read as follows:
§ 99-ff. Bullet-proof vests for officers fund. 1. A special fund to be known as the "bullet-proof vests for officers fund" is hereby established in the custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance.
2. The fund shall consist of all monies transferred to such fund pursuant to law, all monies required by any provision of law to be paid into or credited to the fund, all monies from gifts pursuant to section six hundred thirty-g of the tax law and any interest earnings which may accrue from the investment of monies in the fund. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the state from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them in the fund according to law.
3. Monies of the fund, when allocated, shall be available to the division of criminal justice services for the purpose of providing police officers and canines serving in canine units with bullet-proof vests for use in the line of duty. Bullet-proof vests shall be distributed at the discretion of the commissioner of criminal justice services, pursuant to guidelines established by such commissioner for statewide distribution of such bullet-proof vests.
4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner of criminal justice services.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06179-01-9
S. 1152 2
§ 2. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 630-g to read as follows:
§ 630-g. Gift for the bullet-proof vests for officers fund. Effective for any tax year commencing on or after January first, two thousand twenty, an individual in any taxable year may elect to contribute to the bullet-proof vests for officers fund. Such contribution shall be in any whole dollar amount and shall not reduce the amount of state tax owed by such individual. The commissioner shall include space on the personal income tax return to enable a taxpayer to make such contribution. Notwithstanding any other provision of law all revenues collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the bullet-proof vests for officers fund and used only for those purposes enumerated in section ninety-nine-ff of the state finance law.
§ 3. 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 state finance law and the tax law, in relation to establishing the bullet-proof vests for officers fund
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill significantly improves the safety of law enforcement officials as well as canines by creating a fund to provide bulletproof vests for departments not currently equipped with such apparatus.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill adds a new a new section 99-ff to the state Finance Law and will provide the following provisions:
1. A special fund to be known as the "bullet proof vests for officers fund" is hereby established in the custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance.
2. The fund shall consist of all monies transferred to such fund Pursu- ant to law, all monies required by any provision of law to be paid Into or credited to the fund, all monies from gifts pursuant to section Six hundred thirty-d of the tax law and any interest earnings which may Accrue from the investment of monies in the fund. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the state from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them into the fund according to law.
3. Monies of the fund, when allocated, shall be available to the divi- sion of criminal justice services for the purpose of providing police officers and canines serving in canine units with bullet-proof vests for use in the line of duty. Bulletproof vests shall be distributed at the discretion of the commissioner of criminal justice services, pursuant to guidelines established by such commissioner for statewide distribution of such bulletproof vests.
4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of The comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner of criminal justice services Additionally, this bill adds a new a new section 630-e to the state Tax Law which will enable an individual in any taxable year to contribute to the bullet-proof vests for officers fund via a voluntary contribution on their New York State form.
Justification
Gunshot wounds are one of the leading causes of death for law enforce- ment officers killed in the line of duty. According to data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), approximately 93% of the 511 nonfederal law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty between 2004 and 2013 were killed by a firearm.
This alarming rate of violence and shooting incidents threaten more and more of those lives we rely on for public safety, however not all departments equip personnel with bulletproof vests. To a greater extent, our canine patrols are not equipped with adequate vest protection. This is especially important because our canines are often the first respon- ders to enter a dangerous environment thus warranting similar protection to that of uniformed personnel.
These vests not only offer protection from gunshots, they also provide our law enforcement officials and canines protection against stab wounds and shrapnel from explosions.
Providing those law enforcement agencies in need with bulletproof vests is an appropriate step in ensuring our police officers along with their canine counterparts have the protection they need and deserve as they risk their lives to serve and protect the citizens of our state.
Prior legislative history
02/14/17: S.4429 REFERRED TO FINANCE
01/03/18: S.4429 REFERRED TO FINANCE
02/21/18: S.4429 AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE
02/21/18: S.4429 PRINT NUMBER 4429A
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.