NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8068
SPONSOR: Jean-Pierre TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a supple-
mental burial allowance for certain first responders
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would allow for a supplemental burial allowance for
deceased first responders who died as a result of a World Trade Center
medical condition.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill amends subdivision 1 of section 354-b of the
executive law by adding "certified first responders" of the September
eleventh, two thousand one attacks who have died as a result of a certi-
fied World Trade Center medical condition making them eligible to
receive the New York state supplemental burial allowance provided to
military veterans.
Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
Each day, the number of deaths of first responders who participated in
World Trade Center rescue, recovery, and cleanup operations continue to
grow. Almost eighteen years after the attacks on the World Trade Center,
over ten thousand first responders and others in the disaster area have
been diagnosed with cancer and other debilitating illnesses, and more
than 2,000 deaths have been related to 9/11 related illness.
Even for first responders who are still in good health, the fear of
future illness is constantly in their minds. However, these heroes still
have to focus on providing financially for their families, and preparing
for the potential risk of developing an illness. The New York state
supplemental burial allowance for veterans of up to six thousand dollars
being extended to first responders of the September eleventh, two thou-
sand one attacks would provide families peace of mind in a time of worst
circumstance.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
2019/20: S5841, Referred to Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Mili-
tary Affairs Committee
2021/22: 500791, Referred to Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and.
Military Affairs Committee Assembly
2019/20: No same as
2021: A7036, Referred to governmental employees
2022:A7036, Held for consideration in governmental employees
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8068
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JEAN-PIERRE -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a supple-
mental burial allowance for certain first responders
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The section heading and subdivision 1 of section 354-b of
2 the executive law, as amended by section 1 of part C of chapter 328 of
3 the laws of 2014, are amended to read as follows:
4 New York state supplemental burial allowance for members of the armed
5 forces of the United States killed in combat or duty subject to hostile
6 fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC § 310 and for certain
7 certified first responders. 1. As used in this section, "parent" means
8 a father, a mother, a father through adoption, a mother through
9 adoption, or an individual who, for a period of not less than one year,
10 at any time before the decedent's entry into active military service or
11 at any time before September eleventh, two thousand one, stood in the
12 relationship of a parent to a decedent who died in combat or duty
13 subject to hostile fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC § 310,
14 or who died from a wound incurred in combat or while serving on duty
15 subject to hostile fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC § 310,
16 or who was a certified first responder who died as a result of a certi-
17 fied World Trade Center medical condition or, if two persons stood in
18 the relationship of a parent for one year or more, the person who bore
19 the expenses of the funeral of the decedent.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
21 the amendments to section 354-b of the executive law made by section one
22 of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be
23 deemed repealed therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07482-01-3
