New York A 4822: Relates to COVID-19 exposure during a state of emergency by volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers

Bill Text

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A04822 Summary:

BILL NOA04822 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORO'Pharrow

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COSPNSROtis

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §11-d, Vol Ffs Ben L; add §11-d, Vol Amb Wkr Ben L

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Provides that if, as a result of services performed in line of duty during a state of emergency, a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker is exposed to or comes in contact with COVID-19, the chief engineer or other executive officer of the fire department or fire company or the captain or other executive officer of the ambulance department, volunteer ambulance company or ambulance district of which they are a member may authorize such volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker to obtain such examinations, tests, treatment and care as are immediately necessary to determine whether they are injured; further grants a presumption that exposure to COVID-19 caused partial or total disability or death.

Go to top A04822 Actions:

BILL NOA04822 

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02/06/2025referred to local governments

01/07/2026referred to local governments

Go to topA04822 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA04822 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA04822 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 4822

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 February 6, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. O'PHARROW -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Local Governments

 AN ACT to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law and the volun-
 teer ambulance workers' benefit law, in relation to COVID-19 exposure
 during a state of emergency

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The volunteer firefighters' benefit law is amended by
 2 adding a new section 11-d to read as follows:
 3 § 11-d. COVID-19 exposure. 1. If, as a result of services performed in
 4 the line of duty during a state of emergency, a volunteer firefighter is
 5 exposed to or comes in contact with COVID-19, the chief engineer or
 6 other executive officer of the fire department or fire company of which
 7 such volunteer firefighter is a member may authorize the volunteer fire-
 8 fighter to obtain such examinations, tests, treatment and care as are
 9 immediately necessary to determine whether they are injured. Any such
 10 authorization may be granted prior to the giving of a notice of injury
 11 under this chapter. In any such case, the volunteer firefighter shall be
 12 deemed to have been injured and shall be entitled to treatment and care
 13 and disability benefits as provided in this chapter.
 14 2. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of any general,
 15 special or local law to the contrary, and for the purposes of this chap-
 16 ter, any, condition of impairment of health caused by exposure to
 17 COVID-19 during a state of emergency, resulting in, total or partial
 18 disability or death to a volunteer firefighter where such firefighter
 19 tested positive for COVID-19, shall be presumptive evidence that such
 20 disability or death: (a) was caused by the natural and proximate result
 21 of exposure to COVID-19, not caused by such firefighter's own negli-
 22 gence; and (b) was incurred in the performance and discharge of duty,
 23 unless the contrary be proven by competent evidence.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD08795-01-5

 A. 4822 2

 1 § 2. The volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law is amended by adding
 2 a new section 11-d to read as follows:
 3 § 11-d. COVID-19 exposures. 1. If, as a result of services performed
 4 in the line of duty during a state of emergency, a volunteer ambulance
 5 worker is exposed to or comes in contact with COVID-19, the captain or
 6 other executive officer of the ambulance department, volunteer ambulance
 7 company or ambulance district of which such volunteer ambulance worker
 8 is a member may authorize the volunteer ambulance worker to obtain such
 9 examinations, tests, treatment and care as are immediately necessary to
 10 determine whether they are injured. Any such authorization may be grant-
 11 ed prior to the giving of a notice of injury under this chapter. In any
 12 such cas