Issues of United Concern
New York State Fire Service Alliance
2024 Legislative Agenda
The Fire Service Alliance, consisting of the below Associations, gathered in Troy on December 2, 2023 to develop the below priorities from each Association’s respective legislative agendas. The below identified priorities are to be advocated for through mutual efforts. ISSUES OF UNITED CONCERN 2024
2024 BUDGET ITEMS
Projected deficits will be anticipated and kept in mind as the Governor and the Legislature develop FY2025 State Budget.
• Improving tax benefits available to volunteer firefighters.• Increasing the state income tax credit, which has been stagnant at $200 since 2006.
• Amending 2006 language to remove an arbitrary prohibition on collection of both the state income tax credit and any local real property tax exemptions.
• Combatting fire deaths by providing a sales tax exemptions on home life safety products.
• Provision of cost relief to underwriters related to administration of cancer coverage.
BUILDING CODE-RELATED INITIATIVES
• Adoption of the 2024 Uniform Codes, including provisions for residential sprinklers.
• Lithium-ion batteries: ensure responsible sale and use and adequate training for emergency responders.
• Continued emphasis on illegal conversions.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
• Ensuring maximum participation in Cost Recovery, continue education campaign around, and work to justify an elimination or extension of the 2025 “sunset clause” included in original passage. Unfortunately, at present, this sunset clause is restricting participation in the program.
• Designating EMS as an Essential Service, which would require municipalities to provide it to their residents in a reliable manner and would create a minimum standard of care through regional and state EMS councils.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
• Striving for maximum participation in DHSES training stipend program to encourage its renewal.
• Allow “reimbursements for reasonable expenses incurred” at the discretion of Authorities Having Jurisdiction.
• Achieve parity for VFBL – rightfully raising the benefit to the same level as Workers Compensation.
• Development and support of “Peer to Peer” counseling programs for first responders.
Ratified by:
R. Scott Ewing, President, New York State Association of Fire Chiefs
Edward Tase, Jr., Firefighters Association of the State of New York
Donald Corkery, President, Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York
William Streicher, President, New York State Fire Coordinators’ Association
Richard Duerr, President, Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York
Christopher Roth,ON December 3, 2022, the NYS Fire Service Alliance met for the purpose of developing the list of legislative priorities for the 2023 legislative session. All of the major fire service organizations were represented, and the following is a list of agreed upon priority initiatives:
NYS 2024 FIRE ALLIANCE ISSUES OF UNITED CONCERNS (PDF) Click to: View, Print or Download
