BILL NUMBER: S2159A

SPONSOR: PALUMBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to the eligibility of enrolled members of the East
Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad for a tax exemption
on real property

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation recognizes the work and commitment of the East Hampton
Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad by granting eligibility for
tax exemption on real property tax to enrolled members.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Provides for enrolled members of the East Hampton Volunteer
Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad shall be eligible for the tax exemption
on real property authorized by section 466-a of the real property tax
law, as added by Chapter 670 of the laws of 2022.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and Auxiliary Squad (EHVOR) has
been responding to water emergencies 24 hours a day 365-day a year since
2003. Their mission is to make expedient and safe water rescues year-
round at all unprotected beaches in East Hampton Town.

Over the last few years, the leadership of EHVOR has worked very hard to
organize and structure the squad in a manner like fire departments. They
have created and adopted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Bylaws
well as an updated memo of Understanding (MOU) with the town of East
Hampton and the village of East Hampton.  The chain of command consists
of chiefs, captains, and lieutenants with three squads out of Montauk,
Amagansett and East Hampton village. Each of these squads are set up
with jet ski response vehicles for year-round service and all the
Suffolk County Volunteer lifeguards that serve as members of EHVOR are
certified in Nation Incident Management System (NIMS). Therefore, they
can respond to multi-agency calls like the recent plane crash in Quogue
where members responded to and supported operation hand-in-hand with the
coast guard and other emergency organizations.

They train year-round for all types of water emergencies and have start-
ed to expand training/expertise to other advanced water rescues like
swift water rescues for flood situations.

In 2020, the State Legislature enacted a special act for the State of
New York to recognize the critical lifesaving functions and services
carried out by EHVOR by authorizing the town of East Hampton to desig-
nate EHVOR. by the adoption of a resolution by the town board, as an
emergency rescue and first aid squad under section 209-b of the general
municipal law (Chapter 147 of the Laws of 2020). Now designated, members
may utilize green emergency lights when on route to rescue calls.

To continue to recognize these valuable services and bolster recruitment
and retention efforts, this legislation authorizes the town of East
Hampton to adopt a local law to make enrolled members of EHVOR eligible
for the same real property tax exemption enjoyed by their emergency
responder counterparts in the volunteer fire and volunteer ambulance
services.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022 S.8563/A.9549

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to taxable
status dates occurring on or after such date.