S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8908
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 19, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON,
   PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Oper-
   ations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the  establishment  of
   the  disaster preparedness first responder recognition program and the
   honoring of certain retired firefighters who were killed at the  World
   Trade Center on September 11, 2001

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative declarations.  The legislature hereby finds and
 determines that there should  be  established  a  disaster  preparedness
 first  responder  recognition program to honor those brave men and women
 who have given their lives as part of a disaster preparedness  or  first
 response situation, in an effort to help, save and care for their fellow
 man.
   The  legislature  hereby  further  finds  and  declares  that James J.
 Corrigan, William Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes, were retired New York city
 firefighters at the time of the September 11, 2001 attack on  the  World
 Trade  Center  Complex  in  the  state  and  city of New York. That such
 retired firefighters, James J. Corrigan, William Wren,  and  Phillip  T.
 Hayes,  were  at  the  scene of such September 11, 2001 attack, and with
 great heroism, courage and dedication to their community and fellow man,
 and without concern for themselves or their own personal safety or  well
 being,  such  retired  firefighters James J. Corrigan, William Wren, and
 Phillip T. Hayes bravely assisted the rescue and firefighting efforts at
 the World Trade Center, and in so doing, gave their lives in the  furth-
 erance of such noble and benevolent efforts.
   The legislature further hereby finds and declares, that the courageous
 public service of James J. Corrigan, William Wren, and Phillip T. Hayes,
 evidenced  by  their  commitment to, and concern for, their state, their
 city and their fellow citizens, over and  above  any  risk  or  personal
 peril  they  faced, as well as making the ultimate sacrifice as a result
 of such service, demonstrates that these men and their  surviving  fami-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14237-01-2
              

 A. 8908                             2
 
 lies  are  deserving of the highest recognition, appreciation, honor and
 gratitude that their state, their city, and their community can provide.
   § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 29-l to read
 as follows:
   §  29-L. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECOGNITION PROGRAM. 1.
 THERE IS HEREBY CREATED A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST RESPONDER RECOGNI-
 TION PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF SUCH PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE RECOGNITION  AND
 HONOR TO THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES AS PART OF
 A  DISASTER  PREPAREDNESS  OR  FIRST RESPONSE SITUATION, IN AN EFFORT TO
 HELP, SAVE AND CARE FOR THEIR FELLOW MAN. THE PROGRAM SHALL  BE  MANAGED
 AND  MAINTAINED JOINTLY BY THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE STATE
 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE. EACH YEAR, IN COORDINATION WITH  THE  STAFF
 AT  THE  OFFICE  OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
 OFFICE, THE PROGRAM SHALL HONOR THREE INDIVIDUALS FROM  NEW  YORK  STATE
 WHO DESERVE RECOGNITION AND HONOR FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
   2.  THERE SHALL BE THREE INITIAL HONOREES OF THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
 FIRST RESPONDER RECOGNITION PROGRAM.  SUCH  INITIAL  HONOREES  SHALL  BE
 JAMES  J.  CORRIGAN,  WILLIAM  WREN, AND PHILLIP T. HAYES. SUCH HONORING
 SHALL BE IN RECOGNITION OF SUCH  RETIRED  FIREFIGHTERS  WHO  LOST  THEIR
 LIVES  AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. AS PART OF THEIR
 STATUS AS INITIAL HONOREES BY THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FIRST  RESPONDER
 RECOGNITION  PROGRAM,  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  PROVISION  OF  ANY GENERAL,
 SPECIAL, OR LOCAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE STATE OF NEW YORK,  THE  CITY
 OF  NEW  YORK  AND  THE  FIRE  DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, SHALL
 BESTOW, AWARD AND PROVIDE JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN,  AND  PHILLIP
 T.  HAYES,  AND  THEIR  FAMILIES, WITH ALL THE BENEFITS, HONORS, MERITS,
 CEREMONIES, RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS AND STATUS PROVIDED TO ANY OTHER  FIRE-
 FIGHTER  WHO  PERISHED  AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001,
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   A. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDING JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND  PHILLIP
 T.  HAYES THE MEDAL OF VALOR AND THE SPECIAL WORLD TRADE CENTER MEDAL OF
 VALOR AND PRESENTING THE SAME TO THE FAMILIES OF SUCH MEN AT A  CEREMONY
 HELD IN THEIR HONOR;
   B. ADDING THE NAMES OF JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN, AND PHILLIP T.
 HAYES  TO ALL MONUMENTS, MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES HONORING THE BRAVE FIRE-
 FIGHTERS FROM THE CITY OF NEW YORK WHO GAVE THEIR  LIVES  IN  THE  WORLD
 TRADE  CENTER  ON  SEPTEMBER  11,  2001,  INCLUDING BUT NOT EXCLUSIVE OF
 ADDING THEIR NAMES TO THE WALL OF HONOR AT THE FIRE  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE
 CITY OF NEW YORK'S HEADQUARTERS;
   C.  POSTHUMOUSLY  RETIRING  THE  BADGES  OF JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM
 WREN, AND PHILLIP T. HAYES;
   D. ESTABLISHING A PICTURE MEMORIAL TO JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN,
 AND PHILLIP T. HAYES IN THE FIREHOUSE IN  WHICH  EACH  SUCH  FIREFIGHTER
 LAST  SERVED, COMMEMORATING SUCH FIREFIGHTERS' SERVICE AND ACKNOWLEDGING
 THEIR SACRIFICE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001;
   E. ESTABLISHING A PICTURE MEMORIAL TO JAMES J. CORRIGAN, WILLIAM WREN,
 AND PHILLIP T. HAYES IN THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY  AND  THE  STATE
 EMERGENCY  MANAGEMENT  OFFICE,  COMMEMORATING SUCH FIREFIGHTERS' SERVICE
 AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR SACRIFICE AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER
 11, 2001.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the  recog-
 nition activities required by section two of this act shall be completed
 on  or  before the ninetieth day from the date upon which this act shall
 have become a law.