S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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7116
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
June 1, 2021
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Introduced by Sen. RYAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to incorporate the Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1 Benevolent
Association and providing for its powers and duties
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Incorporation; membership. A not-for-profit corporation by
the name of "Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1 Benevolent Association" is
hereby created. It shall be composed of such persons eligible to member-
ship therein as hereinafter provided and shall (a) notify the secretary
of the Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc., a volunteer fire company,
in writing prior to the organization meeting hereinafter provided for of
the corporation created by this act of their desire to become members,
or (b) attend such meeting or an adjournment thereof and signify their
intention of becoming members of such corporation at such meeting, or
(c) notify the secretary of the corporation hereby created in writing
within sixty days after his or her election of their desire to become
members thereof, and also such persons so eligible as may thereafter
become members of such corporation pursuant to its by-laws.
§ 2. Persons eligible for membership. All persons who are now, or have
been, or hereafter shall be active volunteer members of the Kenilworth
Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc. in the county of Erie, and who have acquired
or shall hereafter acquire the status of exempt volunteer firefighter as
defined in section 200 of the general municipal law by virtue of having
rendered service in Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc., shall be
eligible for membership in the corporation created by this act, except
that any firefighter who has been removed for cause, expelled or dropped
from the rolls of the Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc., and who
has not been reinstated therein, shall not be eligible for membership in
such corporation. The membership of any person in such corporation shall
terminate upon the withdrawal of such person as an active volunteer
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10907-01-1
S. 7116 2
member of the Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc. prior to the actual
performance by such person of five years' service as an active volunteer
member of Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc. Paid firefighters, if
any, of the Kenilworth Fire District, shall not be eligible for member-
ship in the corporation.
§ 3. Purposes. The purposes of the corporation created by this act
are: to provide relief, aid and assistance to the volunteer members of
such corporation who are indigent, disabled or injured in the perform-
ance of their duties, and their families; to maintain a suitable head-
quarters for the members of the corporation; to promote and safeguard
the welfare of the volunteer members of the corporation, and their fami-
lies; to provide for the health and safety of the volunteer members of
the corporation; and to enhance the morale of the volunteer members of
the corporation by providing social and recreational activities for the
volunteer members of the corporation, and the promotion of the volunteer
fire service within the territory protected by Kenilworth Volunteer Fire
Co. #1, Inc.
§ 4. Powers and duties. Such corporation shall have all the powers of
a not-for-profit corporation, and the provisions of law relating to
not-for-profit corporations shall apply to this corporation except where
they conflict with the provisions of this act. However, unless the writ-
ten approval of the applicable governmental agency or department shall
have first been obtained such corporation shall not establish and main-
tain any home or institution which, if separately incorporated, would
require the approval of such department.
§ 5. Organization meeting; by-laws. The secretary of the Kenilworth
Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc. shall call a meeting for the organization of
such corporation to be held not later than 60 days after this act takes
effect, notice of which shall be given be the secretary by posting or
causing to be posted a notice thereof in five conspicuous places within
the territory protected by the Kenilworth Volunteer Fire Co. #1, Inc.
and also by publication of notice thereof in one or more newspapers
having a general circulation within such territory, and such posting and
publication shall be effected at least 10 days prior to the date of such
meeting. At such meeting or any adjournment thereof, the members of such
corporation shall present and adopt by-laws and elect officers and
directors to serve until the first annual meeting which shall be held on
a date to be fixed by the by-laws. Any member failing to comply with the
by-laws, rules or regulations duly adopted by such corporation shall be
subject to suspension and expulsion in such manner as may be provided
for in such by-laws. Any members who ceases to be such, voluntarily or
otherwise, shall forfeit all interest in the property of such corpo-
ration.
§ 6. Control and disposal of funds and property. The control and
disposal of the funds and property of the said corporation, the exercise
of its powers, and the management and control of its affairs, except as
hereinafter provided, shall be vested in and exercised by a board of
trustees which shall consist of no less than 7 members of the corpo-
ration, to wit: the president, the vice-president, the secretary and
treasurer and three other members having the title of trustee. Such
officers and trustees shall be elected at the annual meeting of such
corporation in the manner prescribed by its by-laws.
§ 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 9104 of the insurance law for fire department use and
benefit, upon premiums for insurance against loss or damage by fire
S. 7116 3
covering property situated in the Kenilworth Fire District, county of
Erie, or within any duly organized territory in which the Kenilworth
Volunteer Fire Co. #1, 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, relating to treasur-
ers of fire departments. Such corporation shall also be entitled to
receive a share of the tax imposed by section 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 9104 of the
insurance law. Such taxes shall only be used by the corporation in
furtherance of its purposes as set forth in section three of this act.
§ 8. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
the provisions of section seven of this act shall apply to taxes due on
premiums received on and after January 1, 2022.