STATE OF NEW YORK
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10237
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2026
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Introduced by M. of A. MIKULIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law and the executive law, in
relation to battery storage fire training for firefighters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 209-w of the general municipal
2 law, as amended by section 10 of part A of chapter 101 of the laws of
3 2013, is amended to read as follows:
4 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special, or local
5 law or charter to the contrary, no person shall, after the effective
6 date of regulations adopted by the state fire administrator pursuant to
7 section one hundred fifty-eight of the executive law, receive an
8 original appointment on a permanent basis as a fire fighter of any coun-
9 ty, city, town, village, or fire district unless such person has previ-
10 ously been awarded a certificate by the state fire administrator attest-
11 ing to [his or her] such person's satisfactory completion of an approved
12 fire basic training program and an approved battery storage fire train-
13 ing program; and every person who is appointed on a temporary basis or
14 for a probationary term or on other than a permanent basis as a fire
15 fighter of any county, city, town, village or fire district shall
16 forfeit [his or her] such person's position as such unless [he or she]
17 such person previously has satisfactorily completed, or within the time
18 prescribed by regulations promulgated by the state fire administrator
19 pursuant to section one hundred fifty-eight of the executive law, satis-
20 factorily completes, a fire basic training program and an approved
21 battery storage fire training program for temporary or probationary fire
22 fighters and is awarded a certificate by the state fire administrator
23 attesting thereto.
24 § 2. Section 158 of the executive law, as added by section 28 of part
25 B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
26 § 158. Firefighting training. 1. For the purpose of this section, the
27 term fire fighter shall mean a member of a fire department whose duties
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11738-01-5
A. 10237 2
1 include fire service as defined in paragraph d of subdivision eleven of
2 section three hundred two of the retirement and social security law.
3 2. In addition to the functions, powers and duties otherwise provided
4 by this article, the state fire administrator may promulgate rules and
5 regulations with respect to:
6 (a) The approval, or revocation thereof, of fire training programs and
7 battery storage fire training programs for fire fighters;
8 (b) Minimum courses of study, attendance requirements, and equipment
9 and facilities to be required for approved fire training programs and
10 battery storage fire training programs for fire fighters;
11 (c) Minimum qualifications for instructors for approved fire training
12 programs and battery storage fire training programs for fire fighters;
13 (d) The requirements of minimum basic training which fire fighters
14 appointed to probationary terms shall complete before being eligible for
15 permanent appointment, and the time within which such basic training
16 must be completed following such appointment to a probationary term;
17 (e) The requirements of minimum basic training which fire fighters not
18 appointed for probationary terms but appointed on other than a permanent
19 basis shall complete in order to be eligible for continued employment or
20 permanent appointment, and the time within which such basic training
21 must be completed following such appointment on a non-permanent basis;
22 (f) The requirements for in-service training programs designed to
23 assist fire fighters in maintaining skills and being informed of techno-
24 logical advances;
25 (g) Categories or classifications of advanced in-service training
26 programs and minimum courses of study and attendance requirements with
27 respect to such categories or classifications;
28 (h) Exemptions from particular provisions of this article in the case
29 of any county, city, town, village or fire district, if in the opinion
30 of the state fire administrator the standards of fire training estab-
31 lished and maintained by such county, city, town, village or fire
32 district are equal to or higher than those established pursuant to this
33 article; or revocation in whole or in part of such exemption, if in [his
34 or her] such state fire administrator's opinion the standards of fire
35 training established and maintained by such county, city, town, village
36 or fire district are lower than those established pursuant to this arti-
37 cle; and
38 (i) Education, health and physical fitness requirements for eligibil-
39 ity of persons for provisional or permanent appointment in the compet-
40 itive class of the civil service as fire fighters as it deems necessary
41 and proper for the efficient performance of such duties;
42 3. In furtherance of [his or her] the state fire administrator's func-
43 tions, powers and duties as set forth in this section, [the] such
44 state fire administrator may:
45 (a) Recommend studies, surveys and reports to be made by the state
46 fire administrator regarding the carrying out of the objectives and
47 purposes of this section;
48 (b) Visit and inspect any fire training programs approved by the state
49 fire administrator or for which application for such approval has been
50 made; and
51 (c) Recommend standards for promotion to supervisory positions.
52 4. In addition to the functions, powers and duties otherwise provided
53 by this section, the state fire administrator shall:
54 (a) Approve fire training programs and battery storage fire training
55 programs for fire fighters and issue certificates of approval to such
56 programs, and revoke such approval or certificate;
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1 (b) Certify, as qualified, instructors for approved fire training
2 programs and battery storage fire training programs for fire fighters
3 and issue appropriate certificates to such instructors;
4 (c) Certify fire fighters who have satisfactorily completed basic
5 training programs and in-service training programs, and issue appropri-
6 ate certificates to such fire fighters and revoke such certificates;
7 (d) Cause studies and surveys to be made relating to the establish-
8 ment, operation, effectiveness and approval of fire training and battery
9 storage fire training programs;
10 (e) Cause studies and surveys to be made relating to the completion or
11 partial completion of training programs by video or computer to the
12 maximum extent practicable; and
13 (f) Consult with and cooperate with the state university of New York
14 and private universities, colleges and institutes in the state for the
15 development of specialized courses of study for fire fighters in fire
16 science and fire administration.
17 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
18 it shall have become a law.
