New York Senate Bill S10337

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Caption

Exempts the Liverpool Fire Department within the town of Salina, Onondaga county, from the requirement that the percentage of non-resident fire department members not exceed forty-five percent of the membership.

Summary

S10337 amends the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law provisions governing volunteer fire corporations and fire departments that allow nonresident members. Under current law, a fire corporation generally may not continue or elect nonresident volunteer members if doing so would cause nonresidents to exceed 45 percent of the department’s actual membership. The bill adds the Liverpool Fire Department, located in the town of Salina in Onondaga County, to the list of departments exempted from that 45 percent cap. The measure does not change the basic residency and approval rules for volunteer firefighters statewide, but it creates a department-specific exception so Liverpool may maintain a larger share of nonresident volunteers. The bill takes effect immediately and would apply only to the named department, alongside other previously exempted fire companies and departments listed in the statute.

Impact

The bill narrows the application of the statewide nonresident membership cap in section 1402 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law by carving out an additional local exemption for the Liverpool Fire Department. As a result, Liverpool may elect or continue nonresident volunteer firefighters even if the percentage exceeds 45 percent, while the rest of the statutory framework remains unchanged. The bill affects the department’s membership eligibility rules, volunteer staffing flexibility, and the town board approval process tied to fire corporation membership decisions.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be a targeted local accommodation for a specific fire department rather than a broad policy change, which often suggests a routine or consensual local bill. The absence of recorded controversy in the provided context points to a generally neutral or supportive posture, though that cannot be confirmed from the record supplied.

Contention

The main policy issue is the exception to the 45 percent nonresident membership limit. Supporters would likely view the exemption as necessary to help the Liverpool Fire Department recruit and retain enough volunteers, especially if local staffing shortages make the statewide cap impractical. Any concern would likely come from those who favor uniform statewide residency standards or worry that expanding exemptions could weaken the general rule, but the bill itself is narrowly tailored and does not indicate broader opposition in the materials provided.