What's happening
This bill creates a task force to develop less burdensome fire protection and emergency response standards for rural areas in New York.
Why it matters
Addresses volunteer shortages. By recommending less burdensome standards for fire protection and emergency response in rural areas, the task force could make it easier for residents to volunteer, potentially helping to alleviate critical staffing shortages in rural fire departments.
Tailors regulations to rural realities. The bill recognizes that rural areas face different challenges than urban ones, such as lower population density and fewer resources, and seeks to create standards that reflect these differences rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach.
Could influence future statewide policy. The task force will consider whether uniform standards are necessary across the entire state, meaning its findings could prompt broader changes to fire and emergency response policy, not just in rural areas.
Defines rural areas carefully. By specifying population thresholds and density, the bill ensures that only genuinely rural communities are affected, preventing unintended consequences for suburban or urban fire services.
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Who cares
Rural fire departments and emergency response providers
The task force would develop standards and training requirements intended to be less burdensome for rural areas and examine whether statewide uniform standards are necessary.
Rural residents and prospective volunteers
The task force’s rural standards would be designed to encourage residents to volunteer for fire protection and emergency response services.
Fireman’s Association of the State of New York and state fire administrator
The governor’s two task force appointments would include an association member, officer or employee and the state fire administrator or their designee.
State legislators
The task force would report within ten months and recommend changes to laws or existing regulations governing rural fire protection and emergency response.
Headline styles
Rural Fire Task Force
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- 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
942
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ANGELINO, BENDETT, DeSTEFANO, LEMONDES, McDO- NOUGH, MILLER, MORINELLO, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to create a fire protection and emergency response task force in rural areas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 1. There is hereby established a statewide fire protection and emergency response task force comprised of eight members who shall develop a plan focusing on the standards and training requirements necessary to effectuate fire protection and emergency response services in rural areas throughout the state of New York. Appointments to the task force shall be made as follows: two by the governor; two by the speaker of the assembly; two by the temporary president of the senate; one by the minority leader of the senate; and one by the minority leader of the assembly. The appointments of the governor shall be a member, officer or employee of the Fireman's Association of the State of New York and the state fire administrator of the office of fire prevention and control or their designee.
2. The task force shall examine current regulations and establish a set of standards that are applicable only in rural areas as defined in this subdivision. These standards shall be aimed at being less burdensome for rural areas than the current regulations are and shall be designed to encourage citizens to volunteer their services. The task force shall also examine the necessity of having uniform standards across the state. The task force shall issue a report within ten months after the effective date of this section and shall make recommendations to the legislature regarding any suggested changes in the law or to existing regulations. For purposes of this section, "rural areas" means counties within the state having a population of less than two hundred
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02654-01-5
thousand, and the municipalities, individuals, institutions, communities, programs and such other entities or resources as are found therein. In counties with a population of two hundred thousand or greater, "rural areas" means towns with population densities of one hundred fifty persons or less per square mile, and the villages, individuals, institutions, communities, programs and such other entities or resources as are found therein.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.