Senate Bill S9406

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9406

SPONSOR: LIU
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to paid leave for
members of the civil air patrol during air force assigned missions

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would allow state and local government employees, who are
members of the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, or
the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Pilots, paid leave from work
during Air Force assigned missions.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends section 82-c of the civil service law.

Section 2: Sets an effective date.

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

Civil Air Patrol is a congressionally chartered, federally funded,
501(c)3 nonprofit corporation and serves as the civilian auxiliary of
the U.S. Air Force. Founded Dec. 1, 1941, to mobilize the nation's
civilian aviation resources for national defense service, CAP has
evolved into a premier public service organization that is a cost-effec-
tive force multiplier for Air Force-assigned missions.

Civil Air Patrol members continue to carry their organization's legacy
by devoting their time, energy, and skills to various emergency services
and humanitarian missions. These missions include search and rescue,
natural disaster response for state and local communities, and training
younger generations to become future leaders in aviation and science
related careers.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, founded in 1939, is the
uniformed, civilian volunteer component of the United States Coast
Guard. Annually, the pilots of the Auxiliary devote their time and
skills to aid the US Coast Guard's search and rescue team, and homeland
security forces. Pilots' missions include flight training, search and
rescue, priority airlift, and pollution and disaster response.

In the event of Air Force assigned missions, the Secretary of the U.S.
Air Force will call upon members of the Civil Air Patrol, or US Coast
Guard Auxiliary Pilots, to carry out natural disaster support, training
sessions to improve techniques, support youth development, and other
missions to support public agencies at any level of government.

Currently, New York State Civil Service Law grants governmental employ-
ees, who are members of the Civil Air Patrol, or US Coast Guard Auxilia-
ry Pilots, paid leave during a declared state of emergency.  However,
this law does not grant paid leave for Air Force-assigned missions for
governmental employees.  Without necessary protections, governmental
employees may be forced to use their personal or vacation paid time off
or may be denied paid leave by their employers.


This bill would expand paid leave eligibility by adding "Air Force-as-
signed missions" as additional criteria. This addition would grant
governmental employees, who are Civil Air Patrol members or US Coast
Guard Auxiliary Pilots, the same protections already afforded to members
of the American Red Cross and the National Guard.  Moreover, this addi-
tion ensures that governmental employees can remain committed to Air
Force-assigned missions without risking seniority, compensation, sick
leave, vacation leave or other overtime compensation.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is new legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

This bill has minimal implications for state and local governments as
membership amount in NYS is small.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.