The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 1061--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             January 8, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on  Local  Governments  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and  the  volun-
  teer  ambulance  workers'  benefit  law, in relation to the payment of
  death benefits

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  The  volunteer  firefighters'  benefit  law is amended by
adding a new section 7-b to read as follows:
  S 7-B. PAYMENT OF DEATH BENEFITS. 1. ALL DEATH BENEFITS PAYABLE  UNDER
SECTION  SEVEN  OF  THIS  ARTICLE SHALL BE PAID TO THE PERSON OR PERSONS
ENTITLED TO SUCH BENEFIT WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE DATE SUCH  PERSON  OR
PERSONS  FILES  AN  APPLICATION  WITH THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD TO
RECEIVE SUCH BENEFIT, EXCEPT IF THE EMPLOYER OR INSURANCE CARRIER  FILES
A  NOTICE  OF  CONTROVERSY  WITH  THE CHAIR OF THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION
BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION TWENTY-FIVE  OF  THE  WORKERS'  COMPEN-
SATION  LAW;  PROVIDED  THAT  IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY IN THE CLAIM FOR
BENEFITS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CLAIM FROM BEING PROCESSED WITHIN NINETY
DAYS, THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD SHALL PROVIDE  WRITTEN  NOTICE  TO
THE  CLAIMANT  WITHIN  SUCH NINETY DAY PERIOD EXPLAINING THE DISCREPANCY
AND WHY THE CLAIM CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHIN THE NINETY DAY PERIOD.
  2. THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD SHALL CONDUCT OUTREACH SERVICES  TO
PROVIDE  COORDINATED  INFORMATION TO THE PERSON OR PERSONS ENTITLED TO A
DEATH BENEFIT PAYABLE UNDER SECTION  SEVEN  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  REGARDING
ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO HELP SUCH PERSON OR PERSONS WITH THE DEATH BENE-
FIT PROGRAM'S APPLICATION PROCEDURES.
  S 2. The volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law is amended by adding
a new section 7-b to read as follows:
  S  7-B. PAYMENT OF DEATH BENEFITS. 1. ALL DEATH BENEFITS PAYABLE UNDER
SECTION SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE PAID TO  THE  PERSON  OR  PERSONS

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01163-03-5

A. 1061--A                          2

ENTITLED  TO  SUCH BENEFIT WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE DATE SUCH PERSON OR
PERSONS FILES AN APPLICATION WITH THE  WORKERS'  COMPENSATION  BOARD  TO
RECEIVE  SUCH BENEFIT, EXCEPT IF THE EMPLOYER OR INSURANCE CARRIER FILES
A  NOTICE  OF  CONTROVERSY  WITH  THE CHAIR OF THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION
BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION TWENTY-FIVE  OF  THE  WORKERS'  COMPEN-
SATION  LAW;  PROVIDED  THAT  IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY IN THE CLAIM FOR
BENEFITS THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CLAIM FROM BEING PROCESSED WITHIN NINETY
DAYS, THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD SHALL PROVIDE  WRITTEN  NOTICE  TO
THE  CLAIMANT  WITHIN  SUCH NINETY DAY PERIOD EXPLAINING THE DISCREPANCY
AND WHY THE CLAIM CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHIN THE NINETY DAY PERIOD.
  2. THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD SHALL CONDUCT OUTREACH SERVICES  TO
PROVIDE  COORDINATED  INFORMATION TO THE PERSON OR PERSONS ENTITLED TO A
DEATH BENEFIT PAYABLE UNDER SECTION  SEVEN  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  REGARDING
ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO HELP SUCH PERSON OR PERSONS WITH THE DEATH BENE-
FIT PROGRAM'S APPLICATION PROCEDURES.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.