Makes provisions permanent relating to disability due to disease or malfunction of the heart or coronary arteries
Summary
This bill amends chapter 668 of the laws of 1977, which is part of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law, to make permanent the provisions dealing with disability caused by disease or malfunction of the heart or coronary arteries. The current law had included a sunset date; this bill removes that expiration so the benefit provisions would continue without a termination date.
In practical terms, the measure preserves and extends an existing presumption or benefit framework for volunteer firefighters who suffer heart- or coronary-related disability in the line of duty, rather than creating a new program. It is a technical but important change to the underlying statute because it converts a time-limited law into a permanent one, ensuring ongoing coverage for qualifying claims arising after the law's effective date.
Impact
The bill would amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law by deleting the sunset language in chapter 668 of the laws of 1977 and replacing it with permanent effective-date language. As a result, the statutory provisions governing disability benefits for heart or coronary artery disease or malfunction would remain in force indefinitely, affecting volunteer firefighters and the municipalities or benefit systems responsible for administering those claims.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill, as it is a continuation of an existing benefit for volunteer firefighters rather than a controversial policy expansion. There were no recorded votes or committee transcript excerpts indicating opposition, and the bill was introduced and referred to the Assembly Committee on Local Governments without noted dissent in the provided materials.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal and administrative rather than ideological: making the benefit permanent could increase long-term liability for local governments, fire districts, or insurers that fund or administer volunteer firefighter benefits. Any debate would likely center on whether the heart-disease presumption should remain open-ended versus being subject to periodic reauthorization, but no specific objections or sponsors' responses are included in the provided record.
Provides for a line of duty disability presumption for any condition of impairment of health caused by diseases of the lung, resulting in total or partial disability or death of certain deputy sheriff members of a retirement system in certain cities.