What's happening
This bill provides a tax exemption for fire extinguishers and fire, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms bought for residential use in October.
Why it matters
Encourages Home Safety. By making fire extinguishers and alarms more affordable, the exemption aims to boost the number of households equipped with potentially life-saving devices, reducing risks of fire-related injuries and deaths.
Targets a Critical Time. Limiting the exemption to October may coincide with Fire Prevention Month, maximizing public awareness and potentially leading to higher rates of new installations or replacements of outdated equipment.
Financial Relief for Families. The tax break provides direct savings for residents purchasing essential safety equipment, which can be especially meaningful for lower- and middle-income households who might otherwise delay or forgo such purchases.
Potential Public Health Impact. Widespread adoption of these devices in homes could lead to fewer emergency calls, lower property damage, and decreased strain on fire departments and healthcare systems over time.
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Who cares
Homeowners and renters
The bill would exempt October purchases of fire extinguishers and fire, heat and carbon monoxide alarms for residential use from sales tax.
Residential landlords
They could claim the exemption when buying qualifying equipment for residential use during October.
Retailers selling fire safety equipment
They would need to apply the exemption to qualifying residential-use purchases during October.
Headline styles
No Tax on Home Alarms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to budget and revenue
- Print number 5617a
- Amend and recommit to budget and revenue
- Referred to budget and revenue
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.
Tax Break for Safety Devices
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Monica P. Wallace
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5617--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Budget and Revenue -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to allowing a tax exemption with respect to fire extinguishers and fire, heat and carbon monoxide alarms purchased for residential use
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1115 of the tax law is amended by adding a new paragraph 45 to read as follows:
(45) Fire extinguishers, fire alarms, heat alarms or carbon monoxide alarms purchased for residential use during the month of October.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law and shall apply to eligible fire extinguishers, fire alarms, heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms purchased on or after such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00404-03-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to allowing a tax exemption with respect to fire extinguishers and fire, heat and carbon monoxide alarms purchased for residential use
Purpose
To provide a tax exemption for residential fire safety equipment.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. amends section 1115 of the tax law to provides a tax exemption for fire extinguishers, heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms purchased during the month of October.
Section 2. is the enacting clause.
Justification
Proper fire safety equipment in the home, including fire extinguishers and alarms, is the first line of defense for many families. Of ten these instruments can mean the difference between life and death, and it is prudent to remove all possible economic barriers for families to main- tain them in the home.
Fiscal implications
Negligible loss of sales and income tax revenue.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law and shall apply to eligible fire extinguishers, fire alarms, heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms purchased on or after such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.