What's happening
This bill amends New York City law to clarify that police officers using hearing assistance devices are not considered disabled if they can fully perform police duties.
Why it matters
Ensures that police officers using hearing aids or similar devices are not automatically classified as "disabled". as long as they are able to fully perform all required police duties, potentially reducing unnecessary restrictions on their roles or assignments.
May broaden the pool of eligible officers for active duty. , allowing experienced or qualified personnel who rely on hearing assistance devices to continue serving without being sidelined due to a technical classification.
Signals a shift towards ability-based assessments. rather than blanket exclusions, encouraging more nuanced evaluations of fitness for duty and potentially reducing stigma associated with assistive technology in the workplace.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Police Hearing Aids Not Disabled
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.341
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.120
- Substituted for A4000
- Referred to governmental employees
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.893
Show 1 earlier action
- 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.
Redefine Police Disability Status
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1588
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- 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 excluding members of the police force who use hearing assistance devices from the definition of disabled
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 14-122 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:
§ 14-122 Relief from active duty due to disability. The commissioner shall have power to relieve from active duty on patrol any member of the police force, who, while in the actual performance of duty and without fault or misconduct on his or her part, shall have become disabled, physically, as a result of injuries or illness attributable thereto, so as to be unfit to perform full police duty, such disability having been certified to by so many of the police surgeons as the commissioner may require. Such member may be assigned to the performance of such light duties as he or she may be qualified to perform. The term "disabled" as used in this section shall not include those members of the police force who can fully perform police duties with the use of a hearing assistance device.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06147-01-9
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 excluding members of the police force who use hearing assistance devices from the definition of disabled
Purpose
To prevent the NYC Police Department from banning members of the police force from wearing hearing assistance devices who can fully perform police duties with the use of such device.
Summary of provisions
TO AMEND: Section 14-122 of the administrative code of the city of New York to add the term "disabled" as used in this section shall not include those members of the police force who can fully perform police duties with the use of a hearing assistance device.
Existing law
New law
Justification
The New York City Police Department has recently decided to enforce a "ban on hearing aid devices" policy for existing members of the police force who already wear hearing devices. The enactment of this bill relates to members of the police force who use hearing assistance devices. The passages of this bill will prevent the NYC Police Depart- ment from banning members of the police force who can fully perform police duties with the use of a hearing assistance device.
Legislative history
01/06/16 Referred to Cities 02/04/15 Referred to Cities
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Local 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.