BILL NUMBER:A10456

TITLE  OF  BILL:   An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the
creation of a system of uniform identification  cards  for  firefighters
and emergency services personnel

PURPOSE:  This  bill  seeks to create a system of uniform identification
cards for firefighters and emergency services personnel and to establish
a statewide database for the  purpose  of  creating,  distributing,  and
monitoring  uniform,  identification  cards for paid and volunteer fire-
fighters and emergency services personnel.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: This bill would amend the executive law to estab-
lish a centralized database to coordinate  the  creation,  distribution,
and monitoring of uniform identification cards. This would provide mini-
mum standards that the uniform identification cards must meet, and grant
the  Director  of the Office of Homeland Security with the discretion to
promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement  the  provisions
of this legislation.

JUSTIFICATION:  Currently,  there is no system in place that would allow
law enforcement and emergency management officials to analyze and  moni-
tor  the  levels  of critical human resources. Also, there is no uniform
identification system for firefighters  or  emergency  medical  services
personnel.  This not only poses a security risk, but, also threatens the
state's and localities' ability to respond  to  emergencies  efficiently
              

and effectively.

The  necessity of a uniform identification card and a statewide database
for all emergency services personnel stems from the desire to  make  New
York  safer  and  more  equipped to mitigate the effects of a natural or
man-made disaster.

In 2004 the Federal Government issued Homeland Sea* Directive number  12
which  outlined the necessity to develop and implement policy that would
create a common or uniform identification standard for Federal employees
and contractors. This directive spawned a new Federal Information  Proc-
essing Standard (FIPS) number 201; which, specifies the architecture and
technical  requirements for a common identification standard for Federal
employees and contractors.

The overall goal is to achieve appropriate security assurance for multi-
ple applications by efficiently verifying the claimed identity of  indi-
viduals  seeking  physical  access  to  Federally controlled government,
facilities and electronic  access  to  government  information  systems.
According  to  a  Department  of Homeland Security Information Bulletin,
terrorist groups view the theft or other illegal acquisition of official
identification, uniforms, or vehicles as an effective  way  to  increase
access  and decrease scrutiny in furtherance of their planning and oper-
ations.

The utilization of police or military uniforms to  mask  identities  and
achieve close access to targets without arousing suspicion, is a serious
security hazard. Terrorists and organized crime figures across the globe
have  stolen  emergency  medical  services  uniforms  to  facilitate the
execution of their attacks on key facilities.

A 2006 report by the Heritage Foundation and George Washington Universi-
ty Homeland Security Policy Institute Task Force, found that the lack of
a  uniform identification system hobbles interagency coordination. There
are a number of professions and capacities that people serve in that are
critical to an effective response to an emergency; because of this,  the
verification  of  identification,  affiliation,  and expertise cannot be
accomplished rapidly during a crisis unless there is some uniform  iden-
tification system.

This legislation will allow emergency planners and law enforcement offi-
cials  to  better understand the specific human resources on hand at any
given time and in any region so that we can fortify our plans and better
manage our assets. This seamless  identification  for  all,  police  and
peace  officers will be utilized in many situations, such as: when offi-
cers are deployed to areas outside of their normal geographical area for
national security and special events; during  mutual  assistance  across
counties,  natural  and man-made disasters, and for multi-agency coordi-
nation centers.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: There are roughly  94,500  volunteer  firefighters;
17,800  paid  on-call  and  career firefighters; 14,000 fire police; and
more than 24,000 emergency medical service personnel in New York  State.
All together, there are approximately 150,300 emergency services person-
nel.

It  is estimated that each card, which will be similar in form and func-
tion to the HID 'Class card currently issued by the  Office  of  General
Services, would cost about $6.50; and, to provide a card for every emer-
gency  services personnel would cost the state a total of $976,950, much
of which could be offset through Federal funding sources.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2008 - S.3642  -  Referred  to  the  Standing
Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.

EFFECTIVE  DATE: This act would take effect one year after it shall have
become a law.