Senate Bill S3996

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3996

SPONSOR: GRIFFO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to repeal paragraph 2 of subsection (e-2) of
section 606 of the tax law relating to the volunteer firefighters' and
ambulance workers' credit

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would allow volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to
receive both the volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers tax credit
and a locally enacted real property tax exemption.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one repeals paragraph 2 of subsection (e-2) of section 606 of
the tax law. Section two provides for the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

              

Our volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers answer the emergency
call no matter the weather, the conditions or the circumstances every
day, putting their lives on the line for all of us. Over the past few
years, the state and its municipalities have sought to encourage more
emergency volunteers through a state tax credit and locally enacted real
property tax exemptions. Unfortunately, a quirk in the law does not
allow a volunteer to receive both a property tax exemption and the state
tax credit. In an effort to correct this, this bill would allow volun-
teer firefighters and ambulance workers to receive both the tax credit -
which amounts to $200 off their income taxes - and a tax exemption which
is generally limited to, at most, a $3,000 reduction in the assessed
value of their home. Given the enormous amount of time that these volun-
teers put in and the savings that local governments realize estimated at
$2.9 billion annually from having volunteer fire and ambulance compa-
nies, it would seem only fair to allow them to receive both the tax
credit and a tax exemption.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18 - S . 3905a - Passed Senate/A. 5045a - Ways and Means Committee
2015-16 - S. 2727a - Passed Senate/A. 7240a - Ways and Means Committee
2013-14 - S. 20908 - Passed Senate/A. 2444B - Ways and Means Committee

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate and shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after January
1, 2021.