New York Assembly Bill A07651

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/4/25
• Refer: 4/4/25
• Report Pass: 6/5/25
• Refer: 6/5/25
• Report Pass: 6/6/25
• Refer: 6/6/25
• Report Pass: 6/10/25
• Engrossed: 6/10/25
• Refer: 6/10/25
• Engrossed: 6/12/25
• Enrolled: 12/1/25
• Chaptered: 12/5/25
• Passed: 12/5/25

Caption

Relates to the purpose of such corporation and the use of certain tax monies received by the Rescue Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association Inc. in the town of Cheektowaga, Erie county.

Summary

A07651 amends the special act that created the Rescue Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association Inc. in the Town of Cheektowaga, Erie County. The bill revises the corporation’s stated purposes to more clearly focus on supporting its volunteer members and their families, including relief for members who are disabled, indigent, or injured in the performance of duty, as well as promoting their health, safety, morale, and social and recreational activities. It also ties the corporation’s mission more explicitly to the volunteer fire service in the territory protected by Rescue Volunteer Hose Company No. 1 of Walden Fire District No. 2.

Impact

The bill changes the use of foreign fire insurance premium tax revenues collected under Insurance Law sections 9104 and 9105 by directing that those funds be used by the corporation in furtherance of the purposes stated in the amended special act, rather than under the prior narrower formulation focused on care and relief of disabled or indigent volunteer and exempt firemen and their families. It applies prospectively to taxes due on premiums received on and after January 1, 2026, and affects the governance and permissible expenditures of the benevolent association serving the specified fire district in Cheektowaga.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Assembly Local Governments Committee, Assembly Ways and Means Committee, Assembly Rules Committee, and both floor votes with overwhelming margins, including unanimous committee votes and only one negative vote on the Assembly floor. The voting pattern suggests general agreement that the measure is a routine or clarifying update to the association’s charter and tax-fund usage rules.

Contention

The main substantive issue is the scope of the association’s authorized purposes and whether foreign fire insurance tax proceeds should be available for broader member-support activities such as morale, recreation, health, and safety, rather than only direct relief for disabled or indigent firemen and their families. No committee transcript indicates organized opposition, and the near-unanimous votes suggest little public or legislative controversy. Any concern would likely center on ensuring the tax revenues remain tied to fire-service-related purposes and are not used beyond the association’s statutory mission.