Golden's Legislation Expands Disability Coverage For Police Officers And Firefighters

Albany- State Senator Marty Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) today is announcing that the New York State Senate has approved legislation, S. 4458-D, that expands the provisions of the "heart bill" and makes it applicable to police officers and firefighters who have become disabled as a result of a stroke.

Golden, who sponsored the legislation in the State Senate, stated, "We have adjusted this law to properly assist New York’s Finest and New York’s Bravest. New York State already presumes under the law that any uniformed paid police officer or firefighter who successfully passed an entry level physical examination and subsequently developed a heart condition incurred such condition during the performance and discharge of their duty, unless provided to the contrary by competent evidence. We have now included the serious condition of stroke."

The New York State Senate approved the legislation on June 19, 2006. Assemblyman Peter Abbate (D-Brooklyn) is the Assembly sponsor.