BILL NUMBER: S1663

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend chapter 668 of the laws of 1977, amending the volunteer
firefighters' benefit law, relating to disability due to disease or
malfunction of the heart or coronary arteries, in relation to making
such provisions permanent

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to make permanent the long-standing
law governing disability determinations for volunteer firefighters due
to disease or malfunction of the heart or coronary arteries.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 removes the sunset clause in the Volunteer Firefighter Benefit
Law that governs disability resulting from coronary artery disease.

Section 2 states the effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 1977, the Legislature found that volunteer firefighters too often
suffered injuries or deaths resulting from heart attacks suffered in the
line of duty. The Legislature also found that claims of injuries from
heart attacks were often subjected to lengthy delays. As a result, the
Legislature established specific procedures to expedite the handling of
such claims. This legislation makes permanent the provisions relating to
disability due to heart disease which are scheduled to expire on June
30, 2025.

Section 61 of the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law requires that a
claim for benefits must be paid unless shown by substantial evidence to
the contrary that the duties and activities of the volunteer firefighter
did not cause the heart disease or malfunction. Started in 1979, Section
4 of Chapter 668 of the Laws of 1977 was consistently amended to extend
the expiration date for only two years. In 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020,
the expiration date was extended by five years. This section, due to
expire on June 30, 2025 offers assistance to those volunteers who suffer
heart related conditions resulting in the performance of their duties.
It is high time that, after 46 years, this section of law be made perma-
nent.  Our volunteer firefighters provide an invaluable service to New
York State and our individual communities. Accordingly, it simply makes
sense to prevent unnecessary worry on the part of volunteer firefighters
and their families as to whether or not they will receive their bene-
fits. Therefore, we owe it to our volunteer firefighters and their fami-
lies to make this section of law permanent.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022-2024: S1180/A3033 - Passed Senate/Died in Local Government

2021-2022: S2972 - Passed Senate

2019-2020: S5418/A563 - Died in Local Government

2017-2018: A6784 - Died in Local Government

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.