Senate Bill S1963

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to COVID-19 exposure during a state of emergency by volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government 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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2021-S1963 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A1560
Current Committee:
Senate Local Government
Law Section:
Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law
Laws Affected:
Add §11-d, Vol Ffs Ben L; add §11-d, Vol Amb Wkr Ben L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S8041, A10172
2023-2024: A1511

2021-S1963 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that if, as a result of services performed in line of duty during a state of emergency, a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker is exposed to or comes in contact with COVID-19, the chief engineer or other executive officer of the fire department or fire company or the captain or other executive officer of the ambulance department, volunteer ambulance company or ambulance district of which he or she is a member may authorize such volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker to obtain such examinations, tests, treatment and care as are immediately necessary to determine whether he or she is injured; further grants a presumption that exposure to COVID-19 caused partial or total disability or death.

2021-S1963 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S1963 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1963
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. BROOKS, ADDABBO, BOYLE, GALLIVAN, GAUGHRAN, HOYLMAN,
   JORDAN,  KAMINSKY, KAPLAN, KENNEDY, MAY, ORTT, SERINO, SKOUFIS, THOMAS
   -- 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' benefit law, in relation to COVID-19 exposure
   during a state of emergency
 
   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 11-d to read as follows:
   § 11-D. COVID-19 EXPOSURE. 1. IF, AS A RESULT OF SERVICES PERFORMED IN
 THE LINE OF DUTY DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY, A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER IS
 EXPOSED TO OR COMES IN CONTACT WITH  COVID-19,  THE  CHIEF  ENGINEER  OR
 OTHER  EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE COMPANY OF WHICH
 HE OR SHE IS A MEMBER MAY AUTHORIZE THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER TO  OBTAIN
 SUCH  EXAMINATIONS,  TESTS, TREATMENT AND CARE AS ARE IMMEDIATELY NECES-
 SARY TO DETERMINE WHETHER HE OR SHE IS INJURED. ANY  SUCH  AUTHORIZATION
 MAY  BE  GRANTED  PRIOR  TO  THE GIVING OF A NOTICE OF INJURY UNDER THIS
 CHAPTER. IN ANY SUCH CASE, THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER SHALL BE DEEMED  TO
 HAVE  BEEN INJURED AND SHALL BE ENTITLED TO TREATMENT AND CARE AND DISA-
 BILITY BENEFITS AS PROVIDED IN THIS CHAPTER.
   2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS CHAPTER OR  OF  ANY  GENERAL,
 SPECIAL OR LOCAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY, AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CHAP-
 TER,  ANY,  CONDITION  OF  IMPAIRMENT  OF  HEALTH  CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO
 COVID-19 DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY, RESULTING  IN,  TOTAL  OR  PARTIAL
 DISABILITY  OR  DEATH  TO A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER WHERE SUCH FIREFIGHTER
 TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, SHALL BE PRESUMPTIVE  EVIDENCE  THAT  SUCH
 DISABILITY  OR DEATH: (A) WAS CAUSED BY THE NATURAL AND PROXIMATE RESULT
 OF EXPOSURE TO COVID-19, NOT CAUSED BY  SUCH  FIREFIGHTER'S  OWN  NEGLI-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03678-01-1
              

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