Relates to the use of moneys received from foreign fire insurance companies by the Bohemia Volunteer Firefighter's Benevolent Association, and to modernization of certain language by making such language gender neutral.
Summary
This bill amends the 1963 law incorporating the Bohemia Volunteer Firefighter's Benevolent Association. It updates the association’s name and membership language to use gender-neutral terms such as “firefighter” instead of “fireman,” and revises related references throughout the statute. The bill also expands the board of trustees from five members to eight, with the board consisting of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and four additional trustees.
The bill further changes how the association may use money received from foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Instead of limiting those funds to the care and relief of disabled or indigent volunteer and exempt firemen and their families, the bill directs that the money be used in furtherance of the association’s purposes as set forth in section 3 of the act. The amendment also updates the Insurance Law cross-references governing the collection and receipt of those tax revenues, and it applies to taxes due on premiums received on and after January 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill amends a local law specific to the Bohemia Volunteer Firefighter's Benevolent Association in Suffolk County, changing its governing structure, membership terminology, and the permitted use of foreign fire insurance premium tax revenues. It affects provisions of the Insurance Law by updating the referenced sections for fire department tax collections and by broadening the association’s discretion over how those funds are used, while preserving the association’s entitlement to receive them.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support in committee, with favorable votes in the Assembly Local Governments Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Rules Committee. The bill’s caption and text suggest it is largely a modernization and administrative update, and there is no recorded transcript indicating opposition or controversy. Overall, the sentiment appears positive and noncontroversial.
Contention
No notable substantive contention is reflected in the available materials. The bill’s main changes are technical and organizational: gender-neutral terminology, an expanded board, and a revised spending directive for insurance tax proceeds. If any concern exists, it would most likely relate to the broader discretion given to the association over restricted funds, but no committee debate or recorded dissent is provided to show active opposition.
Same As
Relates to the use of moneys received from foreign fire insurance companies by the Bohemia Volunteer Firefighter's Benevolent Association, and to modernization of certain language by making such language gender neutral.