BILL NUMBER: S7555

SPONSOR: WEIK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend chapter 187 of the laws of 1960 incorporating the West
Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association, in relation to its
purpose and the use of foreign fire insurance premium taxes

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

An act to amend chapter 187 of the laws of 1960 incorporating the West
Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association, in relation to its
purpose and the use of foreign fire insurance premium taxes.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Sections 1, 2, 3 and 7 of chapter 187 of the laws of 1960
incorporating the West Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association,
are amended to read as follows: Section 1.  Incorporation; membership. A
 
MEMBERSHIP not-for-profit corporation by the name of "West Islip
              

Exempt  
FIREMEN'S Firefighter's Benevolent 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
West Islip fire department in writing prior to the organization meeting
of such corporation hereinafter provided for their desire to become
members, or (b) shall attend such meeting or an adjournment thereof, and
also such persons so eligible as may become members of such corporation
pursuant to its by-laws. § 2. Persons eligible to membership. All
persons who are now, or have been, or who hereafter shall be volunteer
members of the West Islip fire district fire department, or of any fire
corporation in such fire district, and all persons resident in such fire
district or in territory provided with fire protection by contract with
such fire district who are exempt volunteer  
FIREMEN firefighters as
defined by section  
TWO HUNDRED 200 of the general municipal law, shall
be eligible to membership in the corporation hereby created; provided
that any person who has been expelled or removed for cause from member-
ship in any fire company or department shall not be eligible to member-
ship in such corporation.  Whenever a member who is not an exempt  
FIRE-
MAN firefighter as defined by section  
TWO HUNDRED 200 of the general
municipal law shall remove from such fire district or from territory
provided with fire protection as aforesaid or if the territory in which
a member resides shall no longer be provided with such fire protection,
 
HIS such person's membership in such corporation shall cease. 04/29/24
3 15320-01-4 § 3. Purposes. The purposes of such corporation shall be
 
THE MAINTENANCE OF SUITABLE HEADQUARTERS FOR, AND THE PROMOTION OF
FRATERNAL INTERCOURSE AMONG THE MEMBERS OF SUCH CORPORATION, THE RELIEF,
AID AND ASSISTANCE OF SUCH MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE DISABLED
OR INDIGENT, AND THE PROMOTION OF THE WELFARE OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE
SERVICE WITHIN THE.WEST ISLIP FIRE DISTRICT AND TERRITORY PROVIDED WITH
FIRE PROTECTION BY CONTRACT WITH SUCH FIRE DISTRICT:to provide relief,
aid and assistance to the volunteer members of such corporation who are
disabled, indigent or injured in the performance of their duties, and
their families; to promote and safeguard the welfare of the volunteer
members of such corporation, and their families; to maintain a suitable
headquarters for the members of such corporation; to provide for the
health and safety of the volunteer members of such corporation; include
support for mental health and encourage team building skills in order to
strengthen the safety among the volunteers, and the promotion of the
volunteer fire service with in the territory protected by the West Islip
fire district fire department. § 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)
9104 OF THE INSURANCE LAW, FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT USE AND BENEFIT, UPON
PREMIUMS FOR INSURANCE AGAINST LOSS OR DAMAGE BY FIRE COVERING PROPERTY
SITUATED WITHIN THE TERRITORY PROTECTED BY THE WEST ISLIP FIRE DEPART-
MENT, LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF ISLIP, SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK, OR WITHIN
ANY DULY ORGANIZED TERRITORY IN WHICH THE WEST ISLIP FIRE DEPARTMENT IS
OR MAY BE OBLIGATED TO RENDER FIRE PROTECTION. THE OFFICER OF SAID
CORPORATION DESIGNATED BY ITS BYLAWS TO COLLECT AND RECEIVE THE AFORE-
SAID TAX SHALL HAVE ALL THE POWERS AND BE SUBJECT TO ALL THE PROVISIONS
OF THE INSURANCE LAW, RELATING 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 9105 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) 9104 OF THE INSURANCE LAW. SUCH TAXES SHALL ONLY BE USED
 
FOR THE CARE AND RELIEF OF DISABLED OR INDIGENT 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.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

FIREFIGHTERS PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY DAY AND RISK THEIR LIVES
TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM A FIRE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BILL IS TO
PROVIDE RELIEF, AID AND ASSISTANCE TO THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF SUCH
CORPORATION WHO ARE DISABLED, INDIGENT OR INJURED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF
THEIR DUTIES, AND THEIR FAMILIES; TO PROMOTE AND SAFEGUARD THE WELFARE
OF THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF SUCH CORPORATION, AND THEIR FAMILIES; TO
MAINTAIN A SUITABLE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE MEMBERS OF SUCH CORPORATION; TO
PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF SUCH
CORPORATION; INCLUDE SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ENCOURAGE TEAM BUILD-
ING SKILLS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS, AND
THE PROMOTION OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE WITH IN THE TERRITORY
PROTECTED BY THE WEST ISLIP FIRE DISTRICT FIRE DEPARTMENT.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: A.10005 REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

NONE.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE
AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 7 OF CHAPTER 187 OF THE LAWS OF 1960 MADE BY
SECTION ONE OF THIS ACT SHALL APPLY TO TAXES DUE ON PREMIUMS RECEIVED ON
AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 2025.