Senate Passes Bills to Protect and Enhance State's Appreciation for New York's Community Heroes

The New York State Senate this week passed seven bills to help protect and further recognize the brave men and women in uniform who make innumerable sacrifices to protect New Yorkers. 

One bill (S232), sponsored by Senators Martin Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn), Fred Akshar (R-C-I-Ref, Colesville), and Catharine Young (R-C-I, 57^th District), increases penalties for certain violent offenses involving police or peace officers. The measure addresses the risks repeat violent felons pose to the public by authorizing a sentence of life without parole when a criminal commits an aggravated assault on a police or peace officer and has previously been convicted of two violent felonies that are classified as Class B or greater.

Another bill (S2566), co-sponsored by Senators Pam Helming (R-C-I, Canandaigua), Terrence Murphy (R-C-I, Yorktown), and Akshar, criminalizes the act of inciting violence against police officers. In recent years, there has been an increase in violent crimes committed against police officers and this measure would help prevent individuals from deliberately inciting violence that targets law enforcement.

Senator Golden said, “As a former New York City Police Officer, I know firsthand the danger that officers face every day in the performance of their duties. In this climate, we must strengthen our laws, and New York State must stand up to protect our law enforcement officers and all residents against violent felons. The time is now to adopt this legislation into law here in the Empire State and mandate that persistent, class B or higher, felons will face a sentence of life without parole. The Senate has passed this bill which I sponsored, and I call upon the State Assembly to now do so. Anything less than that jeopardizes folks from Brooklyn to Buffalo, and allows greater protections for criminals than law abiding citizens and their families.”

Senator Helming said, “We are seeing a growing trend of people inciting violence against law enforcement officers. Our brave police men and women put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect our communities. We need to do all we can to protect our officers by sending a strong message that we will not tolerate those who explicitly target them because of the uniform they wear. These criminals will have real consequences for their actions. I strongly urge the Governor and the Assembly Majority to join me in backing the blue and putting the safety of our officers first by supporting this important legislation.”

  According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), preliminary 2018 law enforcement officer fatalities are currently up two percent over last year’s number to date, with 47 total fatalities. This includes a 63 percent uptick in the number of firearms-related incidents over last year at this point in the year, for a total of 26 fatalities. In one of the most recent ambush incidents, two sheriff’s deputies – Sergeant Noel Ramirez and Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsey of Gilchrist County of Florida – were gunned down while eating at a restaurant in broad daylight on April 19.

In addition, the Senate this week passed five bills that include enhanced benefits to acknowledge the contributions made by 9/11 rescue and recovery workers, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders: 

• · S6898C, co-sponsored by Senators Golden, William Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson), and Murphy, creates an unlimited line-of-duty sick leave benefit for individuals who participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery, clean-up operations, subsequently developed a 9/11-related illness or ailment, yet are still active, public sector employees. In tribute to their service and sacrifice, these individuals will no longer have to expend accrued paid leave to care for his or her condition. This is a benefit currently available to members of the New York City Police and Fire Departments. This legislation provides a process for public authorities and municipal corporations outside of New York City to be reimbursed for costs of restoring sick leave to these heroic New Yorkers;
  · S7797A, co-sponsored by Senators Golden and Larkin, extends the ability for participants in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or clean-up operations to file a Notice of Participation until 2022, provided the 9/11-related disability occurred between September 11, 2015 and September 11, 2017;
  · S7140, co-sponsored by Senators Elaine Phillips (R-C, Manhasset) and Golden, provides an accidental disability benefit of three-quarters salary for correction officers and deputy sheriffs who are seriously injured as a result of an act by an individual visiting a Nassau County correctional facility;
  · S5594C, sponsored by Senator Golden, provides an accidental disability benefit of three-quarters salary for line-of-duty injuries sustained by Environmental Conservation Officers, Forest Rangers, State University Police, and Regional Park Police; and
  · S3070, co-sponsored by Senators Phillips, Golden, and others, would provide “legacy credits” to a stepchild or child of a surviving spouse of a firefighter, police officer, emergency medical technician or paramedic who was killed in the line of duty.

The bills have been sent to the Assembly.