S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5994
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAYER  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
 
 AN ACT to amend chapter 260 of the laws of 1969, relating to incorporat-
   ing the Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent  Association
   and  providing for its powers and duties, in relation to updating such
   association's charter
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Sections  1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of chapter 260 of the laws of
 1969, relating to incorporating the Pound Ridge Volunteer  Exempt  Fire-
 men's Benevolent Association and providing for its powers and duties, is
 amended to read as follows:
   Section  1. Incorporation: membership. A membership corporation by the
 name of "Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt [Firemen's] FIREFIGHTERS'  Benevo-
 lent  Association"  is  hereby  created.  It  shall  be composed of such
 persons eligible to membership therein as hereinafter provided as  shall
 (a)  notify  the  secretary  of the Pound Ridge Fire Department, Inc., a
 volunteer fire department, in writing prior to the organization  meeting
 of  such  corporation hereinafter provided for of their desire to become
 members, or (b) shall attend such meeting or an adjournment thereof, and
 also such persons so eligible as may thereafter become members  of  such
 corporation pursuant to its by-laws.
   §  2. Persons eligible to membership. All persons who are now, or have
 been, or hereafter shall be active volunteer members of the fire depart-
 ment of the Pound Ridge Fire District, in the Town of Pound Ridge, Coun-
 ty of Westchester, or of any fire corporation in such Fire District, and
 who have acquired or shall hereafter acquire the status of exempt volun-
 teer [firemen] FIREFIGHTER as defined in  section  two  hundred  of  the
 general  municipal law by virtue of having rendered service in such fire
 department or fire corporation, and all persons who are now or hereafter
 shall be active volunteer members of  such  fire  department,  shall  be
 eligible  for  membership in the corporation created by this act, except
 that any [fireman] FIREFIGHTER who has been removed for cause,  expelled
 or  dropped  from  the rolls of any fire company or fire department, and
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10373-01-5
 S. 5994                             2
 
 who has not been reinstated therein, shall not be eligible  for  member-
 ship  in  such  corporation. The membership of any person in such corpo-
 ration shall terminate when [his] THEIR membership as an  active  volun-
 teer  member  of  the  fire  department of the Pound Ridge Fire District
 shall terminate before such person shall have  acquired  the  status  of
 exempt volunteer [fireman] FIREFIGHTER as defined in section two hundred
 of  the  general  municipal  law by virtue of having rendered service in
 such fire department.
   § 3. Purposes AND DUTY OF THE ASSOCIATION. The purposes of such corpo-
 ration shall be [the maintenance of]: (A) TO MAINTAIN A  suitable  head-
 quarters  for[,  and  the  promotion of fraternal intercourse among] the
 members of such corporation[, the];  (B)  TO  PROVIDE  relief,  aid  and
 assistance [of] TO such members [and their families] who are disabled or
 indigent,  OR  INJURED  IN  THE PERFORMANCE OF SUCH MEMBER'S DUTIES, AND
 SUCH MEMBERS' FAMILIES; (C) TO PROMOTE AND SAFEGUARD  THE  WELFARE    OF
 THE  VOLUNTEER  MEMBERS OF SUCH CORPORATION, AND SUCH MEMBERS' FAMILIES;
 (D) TO PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF THE
 CORPORATION; (E) TO ENHANCE THE MORALE  OF THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF SUCH
 CORPORATION BY PROVIDING SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL  ACTIVITIES   FOR   THE
 VOLUNTEER  MEMBERS  OF  SUCH  CORPORATION; and (F) the promotion of [the
 welfare of] the volunteer fire  service  within  the  Pound  Ridge  Fire
 District  and  territory  provided with fire protection by contract with
 such Fire District.
   § 4. Powers and duties. Such corporation shall have all of the  powers
 of  a  membership  corporation,  and  the  provisions of law relating to
 membership corporations shall apply to  such  corporation  except  where
 they  conflict with the provisions of this act. [However, unless written
 approval of the state board of social  welfare  shall  have  first  been
 obtained  this  corporation shall not establish and maintain any home or
 institution  which,  if  separately  incorporated,  would  require   the
 approval of such board.]
   § 7. Precept for payment of foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Such
 corporation  shall  collect  and  there  shall  be  paid to it all taxes
 imposed by section [five hundred fifty-three] NINE THOUSAND ONE  HUNDRED
 FOUR  of  the  insurance  law  for fire department use and benefit, upon
 premiums for insurance against loss or damage by fire covering  property
 situated  in  the Pound Ridge Fire District, in the town of Pound Ridge,
 county of Westchester, or within any duly organized territory  in  which
 the  Pound  Ridge Fire Department, Inc. is or may be obligated to render
 fire protection. The officer  of  said  corporation  designated  by  its
 by-laws  to  collect  and  receive  the aforesaid tax shall have all the
 powers and be subject to all the provisions of the insurance law, relat-
 ing to treasurers of fire departments. Such corporation  shall  also  be
 entitled  to receive a share of the tax imposed by section [five hundred
 fifty-four] NINE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FIVE of the insurance  law,  based
 upon  the  business written in the territory with respect to which it is
 entitled to collect and receive the  tax  under  section  [five  hundred
 fifty-three]  NINE  THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FOUR of the insurance law. Such
 taxes shall only be used [for the care and relief of disabled  or  indi-
 gent  volunteer  and exempt volunteer firemen and their families] BY THE
 CORPORATION IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS PURPOSES AS SET FORTH IN SECTION THREE
 OF THIS ACT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately,  provided  however,  that
 the  amendments  to section 7 of chapter 260 of the laws of 1969 made by
 section one of this act shall apply to taxes due on premiums received on
 and after January 1, 2026.