Senate Bill S3904A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Provides total disability benefits for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers for injuries sustained on or after July 1, 2018

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 01, 2018	reported and committed to finance
Jan 17, 2018	print number 3904a
Jan 17, 2018	amend and recommit to local government
Jan 03, 2018	referred to local government
Jun 06, 2017	reported and committed to rules
Jan 30, 2017	referred to local government

Votes

- May 1, 2018 - Local Government Committee Vote
  S3904A
  
  Aye
  
  9
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Local Government Committee Vote: May 1, 2018
      
      aye (9)
      
      Boyle
      
      Brooks
      
      Carlucci
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Marchione
      
      Murphy
      
      Ortt
      
      Ritchie
      
      Serrano
  Jun 6, 2017 - Local Government Committee Vote
  S3904A
  
  Aye
  
  9
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Local Government Committee Vote: Jun 6, 2017
      
      aye (9)
      
      Boyle
      
      Brooks
      
      Carlucci
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Latimer
      
      Marchione
      
      Murphy
      
      Ortt
      
      Ritchie

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2017-S3904 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6367
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law
Laws Affected:: Add §9-a, Vol Ffs Ben L; add §9-a, Vol Amb Wkr Ben L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S5624, A8563
2013-2014: S3589, A485
2015-2016: S2719, A1627
2019-2020: S4631, A5895
2021-2022: S1318, A1324

2017-S3904 - Summary

Provides total disability benefits for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers for injuries sustained on or after July 1, 2018.

2017-S3904 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3904

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit
law and the volunteer ambulance workers' law, in relation to updating
benefits and modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of
duty

 PURPOSE :

This legislation updates and modernizes certain provisions of law
relating to the volunteer fire service. The purpose of the legislation
is to more accurately reflect current emergency response practices and
to bring the state of the law for volunteers into greater parity with
other segments of the response community.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 amends the volunteer firefighters' benefit law (VFBL) to
provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total
permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line
of duty.

Section 2 amends the volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law (VAWBL)
to provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total
permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line
of duty.

Section 3 establishes effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Awards under the volunteer firefighters benefit law and the volunteer
benefits laws have not been increased since 1992. The workers
compensation law, on the other hand, was amended in 2007 to provide an
employee who is totally disabled to receive an award equal to two
thirds of the New York State average wage; an award that amounted to
$775 in 2011. This bill seeks to narrow the gap between the workers
compensation law and VFBL and VABL by increasing awards to volunteer
firefighters and ambulance workers who are totally disabled to six
hundred fifty dollars per week.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015-16 - S. 2719a - Local Government Committee/A. 1627a - Passed
Assembly.
2013-14 - S. 3589b - Local Government Committee/A. 485b - Passed
Assembly.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None to the State.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediate.

2017-S3904 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3904
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  GRIFFO,  FUNKE,  LARKIN, SEWARD -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Local Government
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and the volun-
   teer ambulance workers' law, in  relation  to  updating  benefits  and
   modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of duty
 
   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 9-a to read as follows:
   §  9-A. TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR INJURIES ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST,
 TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION  EIGHT
 OR  NINE  OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY AND
 PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY WHEN THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER IS INJURED  IN
 THE  LINE  OF  DUTY ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN, SAID
 FIREFIGHTER SHALL RECEIVE SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS PER WEEK DURING  THE
 CONTINUANCE THEREOF.
   § 2. The volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law is amended by adding
 a new section 9-a to read as follows:
   §  9-A. TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR INJURIES ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST,
 TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION  EIGHT
 OR  NINE  OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY TOTAL DISABILITY AND
 PERMANENT TOTAL  DISABILITY  WHEN  THE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE  WORKER  IS
 INJURED  IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVEN-
 TEEN, SAID AMBULANCE WORKER SHALL RECEIVE SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS  PER
 WEEK DURING THE CONTINUANCE THEREOF.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05236-01-7

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6367
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law
Laws Affected:: Add §9-a, Vol Ffs Ben L; add §9-a, Vol Amb Wkr Ben L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S5624, A8563
2013-2014: S3589, A485
2015-2016: S2719, A1627
2019-2020: S4631, A5895
2021-2022: S1318, A1324

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides total disability benefits for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers for injuries sustained on or after July 1, 2018.

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3904A

SPONSOR: GRIFFO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit
law and the volunteer ambulance workers' law, in relation to updating
benefits and modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of
duty

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation updates and modernizes certain provisions of law relat-
ing to the volunteer fire service. The purpose of the legislation is to
more accurately reflect current emergency response practices and to
bring the state of the law for volunteers into greater parity with other
segments of the response community.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the volunteer firefighters' benefit law (VFBL) to
provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total
permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line

of duty.

Section 2 amends the volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law (VAWBL) to
provide a weekly benefit of $650 for volunteers that sustain total
permanent disability or partial permanent disability while in the line
of duty.

Section 3 establishes effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Awards under the volunteer firefighters benefit law and the volunteer
benefits laws have not been increased since 1992. The workers compen-
sation law, on the other hand, was amended in 2007 to provide an employ-
ee who is totally disabled to receive an award equal to two thirds of
the New York State average wage; an award that amounted to $775 in 2011.

This bill seeks to narrow the gap between the workers compensation law
and VFBL and VABL by increasing awards to volunteer firefighters and
ambulance workers who are totally disabled to six hundred fifty dollars
per week.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017 - S. 3904 - Rules Committee/A. 6367 - Passed Assembly.
2015-16 - S. 2719a - Local Government Committee/A. 1627a - Passed Assem-
bly.
2013-14 - S. 3589b - Local Government Committee/A. 485b - Passed Assem-
bly.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate.

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3904--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  GRIFFO,  BONACIC,  FUNKE,  HELMING, LARKIN, ORTT,
   ROBACH, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed  to
   be  committed  to  the Committee on Local Government -- recommitted to
   the Committee on Local Government in accordance with  Senate  Rule  6,
   sec.  8  --  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'  law,  in  relation to updating benefits and
   modernizing coverage for services provided in the line of duty
 
   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 9-a to read as follows:
   § 9-A. TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR INJURIES ON OR AFTER JULY  FIRST,
 TWO  THOUSAND  EIGHTEEN. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHT
 OR NINE OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY TOTAL  DISABILITY  AND
 PERMANENT  TOTAL DISABILITY WHEN THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER IS INJURED IN
 THE LINE OF DUTY ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  EIGHTEEN,  SAID
 FIREFIGHTER  SHALL RECEIVE SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS PER WEEK DURING THE
 CONTINUANCE THEREOF.
   § 2. The volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law is amended by adding
 a new section 9-a to read as follows:
   § 9-A. TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR INJURIES ON OR AFTER JULY  FIRST,
 TWO  THOUSAND  EIGHTEEN. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHT
 OR NINE OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE CASE OF TEMPORARY TOTAL  DISABILITY  AND
 PERMANENT  TOTAL  DISABILITY  WHEN  THE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE  WORKER IS
 INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO  THOUSAND  EIGH-
 TEEN,  SAID AMBULANCE WORKER SHALL RECEIVE SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS PER
 WEEK DURING THE CONTINUANCE THEREOF.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05236-03-8

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Find your Senator and share your views on important issues.

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Senate Bill S3904A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

Votes

May 1, 2018 - Local Government Committee Vote

Local Government Committee Vote: May 1, 2018

Jun 6, 2017 - Local Government Committee Vote

Local Government Committee Vote: Jun 6, 2017

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2017-S3904 - Details

2017-S3904 - Summary

2017-S3904 - Sponsor Memo

2017-S3904 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

Votes

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2017-S3904 - Details

2017-S3904 - Summary

2017-S3904 - Sponsor Memo

2017-S3904 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S3904A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments