S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6144--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 17, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. ROBACH, GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local  Government
   -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance with
   Senate  Rule  6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to ensuring  paid
   employees  of  a  county  airport  or county aviation department which
   perform fire response or fire rescue duties  are  eligible  for  equal
   benefits as other paid firefighters
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 207-a  of  the  general  municipal
 law,  as  amended by chapter 476 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read
 as follows:
   1. Any paid firefighter which term as used in this section shall  mean
 any  paid officer or member of an organized fire company or fire depart-
 ment of a city of less than one million population, or town, village  or
 fire  district,  OR  ANY  PAID  EMPLOYEE  OF  A COUNTY AIRPORT OR COUNTY
 AVIATION DEPARTMENT WHICH PERFORMS FIRE RESPONSE OR FIRE RESCUE  DUTIES,
 who  is  injured in the performance of his or her duties or who is taken
 sick as a result of the performance of his or her duties so as to neces-
 sitate medical or other lawful remedial treatment, shall be paid by  the
 municipality  or  fire  district by which he or she is employed the full
 amount of his or her regular salary or wages until his or her disability
 arising therefrom has ceased, and, in  addition,  such  municipality  or
 fire  district  shall  be  liable for all medical treatment and hospital
 care furnished during such disability.  Provided, however, and  notwith-
 standing  the foregoing provisions of this section, the municipal health
 authorities or any physician appointed for the purpose  by  the  munici-
 pality  or fire district, may attend any such injured or sick firefight-
 er, from time to time, for the purpose of providing medical, surgical or
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10185-05-0

 S. 6144--A                          2
 
 other treatment, or for making inspections and the municipality or  fire
 district shall not be liable for salary or wages payable to such a fire-
 fighter,  or  for  the  cost  of  medical  or hospital care or treatment
 furnished,  after  such date as the health authorities or such physician
 shall certify that such injured or sick firefighter has recovered and is
 physically able to perform his or her regular duties in the  company  or
 department.  Any  injured or sick firefighter who shall refuse to accept
 such medical treatment or  hospital  care  or  shall  refuse  to  permit
 medical inspections as herein authorized, including examinations result-
 ing  from  the application of subdivision two hereof, shall be deemed to
 have waived his or her rights under this section in respect to  expenses
 incurred for medical treatment or hospital care or salary or wages paya-
 ble after such refusal.
   Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law to the contrary, a provider of
 medical treatment or hospital care furnished pursuant to the  provisions
 of  this  section  shall not collect or attempt to collect reimbursement
 for such treatment or care from any such member of the  fire  department
 of any such city.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.