Senate Bill S10370

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10370
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RHOADS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
   ty and Military Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to creating a special
   hiring class for first responders  who  suffered  a  disability  as  a
   result of the September eleventh, two thousand one terrorist attacks

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The civil service law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 55-d to read as follows:
   §  55-D.  EMPLOYMENT  OF FIRST RESPONDERS WHO SUFFERED A SERVICE RATED
 DISABILITY RELATED TO THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND ONE TERRORIST
 ATTACKS. 1. THE COMMISSION MAY DETERMINE UP TO  FIVE  HUNDRED  POSITIONS
 WITH  DUTIES  SUCH AS CAN BE PERFORMED BY FIRST RESPONDERS WHO PERFORMED
 SUCH FIRST RESPONDER'S DUTIES IN THE AREA OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO
 THOUSAND ONE TERRORIST ATTACKS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS  THE  EXPOSURE  ZONE,
 AND  SUFFERED A SERVICE RATED DISABILITY AS A RESULT OF BEING EXPOSED TO
 THE TOXINS IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS THEREAFTER AND WHO ARE  FOUND  OTHER-
 WISE  QUALIFIED  TO  PERFORM SATISFACTORILY THE DUTIES OF ANY SUCH POSI-
 TION.  POSITIONS DESIGNATED TO BE FILLED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION MAY BE
 FILLED ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS. UPON SUCH DETERMINATION,  SAID
 POSITIONS  SHALL  BE  CLASSIFIED IN THE NONCOMPETITIVE CLASS, BY PERSONS
 WHO ESTABLISH  BY  APPROPRIATE  DOCUMENTARY  EVIDENCE  THAT  SUCH  FIRST
 RESPONDER  SUFFERED  A  SERVICE  RATED  DISABILITY  AS A RESULT OF BEING
 EXPOSED TO TOXINS IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS THEREAFTER IN THE AREA, OTHER-
 WISE KNOWN AS THE EXPOSURE ZONE, OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND
 ONE TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE NUMBER OF PERSONS APPOINTED PURSUANT TO  THIS
 SECTION SHALL NOT EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED.
   2.  THOSE EMPLOYEES HIRED UNDER SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, SHALL
 BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO  TAKE  PROMOTIONAL  EXAMINATIONS  AS
 PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES IN THE COMPETITIVE CLASS.
   3.  WHEN  POSTING JOBS THAT FALL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION,
 ALL STATE AGENCIES SHALL PROMINENTLY IDENTIFY ON SUCH POSTING THAT  SUCH
 JOB IS "55-D ELIGIBLE".
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15476-03-6
 S. 10370                            2
 
   4.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "EXPOSURE ZONE" SHALL
 MEAN THE AREA IN MANHATTAN SOUTH OF  THE  LINE  THAT  RUNS  ALONG  CANAL
 STREET  FROM  THE  HUDSON  RIVER TO THE INTERSECTION OF CANAL STREET AND
 EAST BROADWAY, NORTH ON EAST BROADWAY TO CLINTON  STREET,  AND  EAST  ON
 CLINTON  STREET  TO THE EAST RIVER; AND ANY AREA RELATED TO OR ALONG THE
 ROUTES OF DEBRIS REMOVAL, SUCH AS BARGES AND THE FRESH KILLS LANDFILL.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.