2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP-UP

A total of 13,122 bills were introduced this legislative session.

Listed here is the fire service legislative summary for the 2021 Session; including those bills that passed both legislative chambers but still need to be signed by or vetoed the Governor.  Note that this is not all of the fire service related legislation but those bills that affected the fire service statewide.  The final scorecard will be updated and published when the signature process is complete..

 
  1. S864/A968, chapter amendments to the New York state volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention task force. This bill made technical amendments to the membership and mission of the task force. Signed by the Governor.
 
  1. S1210/A6401, LOSAP amendment allows for a program sponsor to amend a point system as part of a service award program.  updating the law from using a percentage of the total  number of calls the department was dispatched to in calculating LOSAP points, to the total number of calls an individual was dispatched to will create a more equitable and efficient system.
 
  1. S1318A/A1324A, Changes to VFBL provisions, provide total disability benefits in the amount of $650 weekly for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers for injuries sustained on or after July 1, 2021. Despite years of experience and technological advancements, injuries are still a part of the volunteer fire service. Sometimes the injuries are severe - causing temporary or total permanent disabilities. The weekly benefit under VFBL and VABL for such injuries has not been updated in over ten years.
 
  1. S4630B/A5418B, The family & firefighter protection act was passed and beginning December 31, 2023, prohibits the sale of mattresses, or upholstered furniture that contain intentionally added identified flame retardant chemicals to individuals or households for personal use in residential space. As of January 1, 2024, no person offers for sale an electronic display that contains intentionally added Oganohalogen flame retardants. Section 2 relates to penalties related to the sale of said items.
 
  1. This law signed by the governor requires public employers to adopt a plan for operations in the event of a declared state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease.  The purpose of this bill is to amend chapter 168 of the laws of 2020 to remove contractors from the scope of such legislation and to clarify the timeline for public employers to publish and finalize their plans for operations in the event of a declared state disaster emergency involving a communicable disease.
 
  1. S1091A/A2239A, Increases the number of years of service that a participant in a defined contribution plan or defined benefit plan service award program may receive a contribution from 40 to 50 years.
 
  1. S4064/A6296, At the current rates, most individuals who work fire district elections do not even make minimum wage. This legislation would give the board of fire commissioners the ability to pay a maximum of $70 or $100, depending on the length of time worked.
 
  1. S1209/A4979, Changes the date of the public hearing to discuss the contents of the proposed budget of fire, fire alarm, and fire protection districts, to be held on the third week of October.  The hearing will be able to be held on any reasonable day during the third week of October instead of only Tuesday.
 
  1. S3503C/A1561C, Authorizes the office of fire prevention and control to establish the New York State rural ambulance services task force.
 
  1. S1270/A5565, No new vessel that has an enclosed accommodation compartment or a vessel that undergoes substantial renovations may be sold or offered for sale unless such vessel is equipped with a new functioning marine carbon monoxide detection system.
 
  1. S4071A/A96A, Designates human organ delivery vehicles as authorized emergency vehicles.
 
  1. S4233A/A6461A, Provides for disability retirement benefits for the presumption of Parkinson’s disease for paid firefighters.
 
  1. S4704A/A1108A, Requires that minutes of meetings of a public body be posted on its website if the agency in which a public body functions maintains a regularly and routinely updated website and utilizes a high-speed internet connection amended to requires that minutes taken at a meeting of a public body be posted on the agency's website within two weeks from an open meeting and one week from an executive session.
 
  1. S4562/A6767A, amends § 61 of the VFBL to create a presumption of coverage for vascular rupture where such rupture results in the death or disability of a volunteer firefighter, the disability or death arose from the duties and activities of a volunteer firefighter.
 
  1. S4615A/A5402A, Prohibits the selling or displaying of campaign material or symbols of hate by municipal corporations, fire districts, volunteer fire companies, police departments and school districts.
 
  1. S1150A/A1228A, amends the public officer’s law to require documents to be discussed at open meetings be made available upon request or posted on the public body's website at least 24 hours prior to such open meeting.
 
  1. S881/A964, Provides that in addition to any other applicable remedy or penalty, where a building has been altered in violation of any provision of the uniform code or any lawful order obtained there under, and such alteration impedes a person's egress from such building during a fire or other emergency evacuation, the owner of such building, and any builder, architect, contractor, subcontractor or construction superintendent, or agent thereof who has knowledge of such alteration, or an owner who reasonably should have had knowledge of such alteration based on either an inspection or repair of a leased premises with consent from the tenant, shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $7500.
 
  1. S1383/A711, requires a homeowner be provided a cost estimate for installation of a fire sprinkler system.
 
  1. S391/A443, Relates to requiring local building and planning regulations to accommodate the use of certain renewable and alternative energy sources.  to promote the use of alternative energy sources by encouraging towns and villages to consider certain alternative energy sources when designing zoning and planning regulations.
 
  1. S2884A/A362A, Relates to penalties for code violations; provides penalties for second and third code violations.  it also authorizes local governments to enact laws prohibiting individuals or corporate entities from obtaining permits or purchasing such property if they have outstanding orders of remedy or immediately hazardous violations.
  2. S1633/A3028, relates to remedies for violations of the New York state uniform fire prevention and building code act which threaten imminent physical harm to occupants of a property.
 
  1. S6446A/A7694A, the purpose of this bill is to extend the county-wide shared services initiative to incentivize local governments to share services