BILL NUMBER: S2159

SPONSOR: PALUMBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to the eligibility of enrolled members of the East
Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad for the tax exemption
on real property authorized by section 466-c of the real property tax
law

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation recognizes the work and commitment of the East Hampton
Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad by granting eligibility for
tax exemption on real property tax to enrolled members.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad (EHVOR) has
              

been responding to water emergencies 24 hours a day 365 day a year since
2003. Their mission is to make expedient and safe water rescues year
round at all unprotected beaches in East Hampton Town.

Over the last few years, the leadership of EHVOR has worked very hard to
organize and structure the squad in a manner similar to fire depart-
ments. They have created and adopted Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs), Bylaws well as an updated memo of Understanding (MOU) with the
town of East Hampton and the village of East Hampton.  The chain of
command consists of chiefs, captains and lieutenants with three squads
out of Montauk, Amagansett and East Hampton village. Each of these
squads are set up with jet ski response vehicles for year-round service
and all of the Suffolk County Volunteer lifeguards that serve as members
of EHVOR are certified in Nation Incident Management System (NIMS).
Therefore, they are able to respond to multi-agency calls like the
recent plane crash in Quogue where members responded to and supported
operation hand-in-hand with the coast guard and other emergency organ-
izations.

They train year round for all types of water emergencies and have start-
ed to expand training/expertise to other advance water rescues like
swift water rescues for flood situations.

In 2020, the State Legislature enacted a special act for the State of
New York to recognize the critical life saving functions and services
carried out by EHVOR by authorizing the town of East Hampton to desig-
nate EHVOR, by the adoption of a resolution by the town board, as an
emergency rescue and first aid squad under section 209-b of the general
municipal law (Chapter 147 of the Laws of 2020). Now designated, members
may utilize green emergency lights when on route to rescue calls.

To continue to recognize these valuable services and bolster recruitment
and retention efforts, this legislation authorizes the town of East
Hampton to adopt a local law to make enrolled members of EHVOR eligible
for the same real property tax exemption enjoyed by their emergency
responder counterparts in the volunteer fire and volunteer ambulance
services.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022 S.8563/A.9549

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to taxable
status dates occurring on or after such date.