NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7004
SPONSOR: Burdick TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend chapter 260 of the laws of 1969, relating to incorporat-
ing the Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association
and providing for its powers and duties, in relation to updating such
association's charter
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To update the Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Associ-
ation's charter
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of chapter 260 of the laws
of 1969 to update the name of the association and description of persons
eligible for membership; to modernize and expand the purposes and duties
of the association; and to expand permissible use of foreign fire insur-
ance monies by the association to actions "in furtherance of its
purpose."
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Volunteer firefighters perform dangerous duties every day in our commu-
nities, protecting our health, well-being and property. The Pound Ridge
Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association receives foreign fire
insurance premium tax monies from the New York State Insurance Depart-
ment. Currently, the association is authorized to use such funds only
for the care and relief of disabled or indigent volunteer and exempt
firefighters and their families. This legislation would authorize the
Association to use the funds in furtherance of all its statutory
purposes.
This act would amend the chapter of law governing the operation of the
Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association, in a
manner similar to recent legislative updates to other volunteer fire-
fighters' benevolent association charters, so that it may more effec-
tively work to support the health and well-being of the association, its
members, and their families.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7004
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BURDICK -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend chapter 260 of the laws of 1969, relating to incorporat-
ing the Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association
and providing for its powers and duties, in relation to updating such
association's charter
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of chapter 260 of the laws of
2 1969, relating to incorporating the Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt Fire-
3 men's Benevolent Association and providing for its powers and duties, is
4 amended to read as follows:
5 Section 1. Incorporation: membership. A membership corporation by the
6 name of "Pound Ridge Volunteer Exempt [Firemen's] Firefighters' Benevo-
7 lent Association" is hereby created. It shall be composed of such
8 persons eligible to membership therein as hereinafter provided as shall
9 (a) notify the secretary of the Pound Ridge Fire Department, Inc., a
10 volunteer fire department, in writing prior to the organization meeting
11 of such corporation hereinafter provided for of their desire to become
12 members, or (b) shall attend such meeting or an adjournment thereof, and
13 also such persons so eligible as may thereafter become members of such
14 corporation pursuant to its by-laws.
15 § 2. Persons eligible to membership. All persons who are now, or have
16 been, or hereafter shall be active volunteer members of the fire depart-
17 ment of the Pound Ridge Fire District, in the Town of Pound Ridge, Coun-
18 ty of Westchester, or of any fire corporation in such Fire District, and
19 who have acquired or shall hereafter acquire the status of exempt volun-
20 teer [firemen] firefighter as defined in section two hundred of the
21 general municipal law by virtue of having rendered service in such fire
22 department or fire corporation, and all persons who are now or hereafter
23 shall be active volunteer members of such fire department, shall be
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10373-01-5
A. 7004 2
1 eligible for membership in the corporation created by this act, except
2 that any [fireman] firefighter who has been removed for cause, expelled
3 or dropped from the rolls of any fire company or fire department, and
4 who has not been reinstated therein, shall not be eligible for member-
5 ship in such corporation. The membership of any person in such corpo-
6 ration shall terminate when [his] their membership as an active volun-
7 teer member of the fire department of the Pound Ridge Fire District
8 shall terminate before such person shall have acquired the status of
9 exempt volunteer [fireman] firefighter as defined in section two hundred
10 of the general municipal law by virtue of having rendered service in
11 such fire department.
12 § 3. Purposes and duty of the association. The purposes of such corpo-
13 ration shall be [the maintenance of]: (a) to maintain a suitable head-
14 quarters for[, and the promotion of fraternal intercourse among] the
15 members of such corporation[, the]; (b) to provide relief, aid and
16 assistance [of] to such members [and their families] who are disabled or
17 indigent, or injured in the performance of such member's duties, and
18 such members' families; (c) to promote and safeguard the welfare of
19 the volunteer members of such corporation, and such members' families;
20 (d) to provide for the health and safety of the volunteer members of the
21 corporation; (e) to enhance the morale of the volunteer members of such
22 corporation by providing social and recreational activities for the
23 volunteer members of such corporation; and (f) the promotion of [the
24 welfare of] the volunteer fire service within the Pound Ridge Fire
25 District and territory provided with fire protection by contract with
26 such Fire District.
27 § 4. Powers and duties. Such corporation shall have all of the powers
28 of a membership corporation, and the provisions of law relating to
29 membership corporations shall apply to such corporation except where
30 they conflict with the provisions of this act. [However, unless written
31 approval of the state board of social welfare shall have first been
32 obtained this corporation shall not establish and maintain any home or
33 institution which, if separately incorporated, would require the
34 approval of such board.]
35 § 7. Precept for payment of foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Such
36 corporation shall collect and there shall be paid to it all taxes
37 imposed by section [five hundred fifty-three] nine thousand one hundred
38 four of the insurance law for fire department use and benefit, upon
39 premiums for insurance against loss or damage by fire covering property
40 situated in the Pound Ridge Fire District, in the town of Pound Ridge,
41 county of Westchester, or within any duly organized territory in which
42 the Pound Ridge Fire Department, Inc. is or may be obligated to render
43 fire protection. The officer of said corporation designated by its
44 by-laws to collect and receive the aforesaid tax shall have all the
45 powers and be subject to all the provisions of the insurance law, relat-
46 ing to treasurers of fire departments. Such corporation shall also be
47 entitled to receive a share of the tax imposed by section [five hundred
48 fifty-four] nine thousand one hundred five of the insurance law, based
49 upon the business written in the territory with respect to which it is
50 entitled to collect and receive the tax under section [five hundred
51 fifty-three] nine thousand one hundred four of the insurance law. Such
52 taxes shall only be used [for the care and relief of disabled or indi-
53 gent volunteer and exempt volunteer firemen and their families] by the
54 corporation in furtherance of its purposes as set forth in section three
55 of this act.
A. 7004 3
1 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided however, that
2 the amendments to section 7 of chapter 260 of the laws of 1969 made by
3 section one of this act shall apply to taxes due on premiums received on
4 and after January 1, 2026.
