BILL NUMBER: S9218
SPONSOR: MARTINS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the Nassau county civil divisions act, in relation to
the name and the funds of the corporation
 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
This bill will amend chapter 73 of the laws of 1940 relating to the
incorporating of the Alert Volunteer Exempt Fireman's Benevolent Associ-
ation of Great Neck, New York, Inc.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends section 614.0 and 614.1 of the Nassau
County Civil Divisions Act, as added by Chapter 73 of the laws of 1940,
relating to the incorporation of the Alert Volunteer Exempt Firemen's
Benevolent Association of Great Neck, New York, Inc. by changing the
term "Firemen" to "Firefighter" to be gender neutral and more inclusive.
This section also amends section 614.6 to expand the permissible uses of
funds collected by the Benevolent Association for any purpose enumerated
in the enabling statute.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In keeping with New York State's gender neutrality laws, rules and regu-
lations, this bill changes the term "Firemen" to "Firefighter" in the
enabling statute for the Alert Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent
Association of Great Neck. This change will allow the corporations name
and enabling statute to be gender neutral and more inclusive.
Additionally, this bill will expand the permissible uses of funds
received from the Foreign Fire Insurance Premium Tax monies that the
association receives from the NYS Insurance Department. Currently the
funds can only be used for the care and relief of disabled or indigent
veterans and exempt firefighters and their families. This legislation
would authorize the association to also use the funds in furtherance of
any of their statutory purposes by a unanimous vote of the trustees.
Similar changes have been made for other volunteer firefighters' benevo-
lent associations across the state, so that the associations may more
effectively attend to the needs of the association, its members and
their families.
This bill also updates the provisions for the distribution of foreign
fire insurance funds to make its use consistent with Sections 9104 and
9105 of the New York State Insurance Law.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill, but similar legislation has been chaptered in the past for
other firefighter benevolent associations in our state.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.