Provides that where any condition of impairment of health caused by Parkinson's disease, resulting in total or partial disability or death to a volunteer firefighter, where such volunteer firefighter successfully passed a physical examination on entry into such service or subsequent thereto, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition, shall be presumptive evidence that such disability or death was caused by the natural and proximate result of an accident, not caused by such firefighter's own negligence; and was incurred in the performance and discharge of duty, unless the contrary be proven by competent evidence.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9655
SPONSOR: Solages PURPOSE:
This bill would make it easier for volunteer firefighters to receive
Volunteer Firefighter Benefits Law coverage for Parkinson's disease.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefits Law by adding a
new section 11-d that establishes presumptive evidence related to
Parkinson's disease. Following a passed physical entrance exam, any
subsequent condition or impairment of health caused by Parkinson's
disease resulting in total or partial disability or death to a volunteer
firefighter would be presumed to be line of duty related.
Section 2. Provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The increased use of plastics and other chemical compounds over the last
several decades has drastically increased the types of exposure fire-
fighters face when combatting fires. Recent research suggests that
ingestion of certain toxins has increasingly been linked to the diagno-
sis of Parkinson's disease, and according to a study conducted by the
Neurotoxin Institute, Parkinson's disease rates are higher among volun-
teer firefighters than in the general population.
Chapter 704 of the Laws of 2021 provided a presumption with respect to
Parkinson's disease that results in death or disability to paid fire-
fighters. This legislation would provide the same presumption for volun-
teer firefighters.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2025: A4729
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and bel6 deemed
repealed June 30, 2030.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9655
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the volunteer firefighters' benefit law, in relation to
a presumption for Parkinson's disease; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof
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. Volunteer firefighters; presumption for Parkinson's disease.
4 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of any general, special
5 or local law to the contrary, and for the purposes of this chapter, any
6 condition of impairment of health caused by Parkinson's disease, result-
7 ing in total or partial disability or death to a volunteer firefighter,
8 where such volunteer firefighter successfully passed a physical examina-
9 tion on entry into such service or subsequent thereto, which examination
10 failed to reveal any evidence of such condition, shall be presumptive
11 evidence that such disability or death (a) was caused by the natural and
12 proximate result of an accident, not caused by such firefighter's own
13 negligence, and (b) was incurred in the performance and discharge of
14 duty, unless the contrary be proven by competent evidence.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
16 deemed repealed June 30, 2030.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08847-01-5
