Renames the "West Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association" to the "West Islip Exempt Firefighter's Benevolent Association"; changes such association's purpose.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7555
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 22, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. WEIK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities
and Commissions
AN ACT to amend chapter 187 of the laws of 1960 incorporating the West
Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association, in relation to its
purpose and the use of foreign fire insurance premium taxes
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 and 7 of chapter 187 of the laws of 1960
2 incorporating the West Islip Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association,
3 are amended to read as follows:
4 Section 1. Incorporation; membership. A [membership] not-for-profit
5 corporation by the name of "West Islip Exempt [Firemen's] Firefighter's
6 Benevolent Association" is hereby created. It shall be composed of such
7 persons eligible to membership therein as hereinafter provided as shall
8 (a) notify the secretary of the West Islip fire department in writing
9 prior to the organization meeting of such corporation hereinafter
10 provided for their desire to become members, or (b) shall attend such
11 meeting or an adjournment thereof, and also such persons so eligible as
12 may become members of such corporation pursuant to its by-laws.
13 § 2. Persons eligible to membership. All persons who are now, or have
14 been, or who hereafter shall be volunteer members of the West Islip fire
15 district fire department, or of any fire corporation in such fire
16 district, and all persons resident in such fire district or in territory
17 provided with fire protection by contract with such fire district who
18 are exempt volunteer [firemen] firefighters as defined by section [two
19 hundred] 200 of the general municipal law, shall be eligible to member-
20 ship in the corporation hereby created; provided that any person who has
21 been expelled or removed for cause from membership in any fire company
22 or department shall not be eligible to membership in such corporation.
23 Whenever a member who is not an exempt [fireman] firefighter as defined
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06583-03-5
S. 7555 2
1 by section [two hundred] 200 of the general municipal law shall remove
2 from such fire district or from territory provided with fire protection
3 as aforesaid or if the territory in which a member resides shall no
4 longer be provided with such fire protection, [his] such person's
5 membership in such corporation shall cease.
6 § 3. Purposes. The purposes of such corporation shall be [the mainte-
7 nance of suitable headquarters for, and the promotion of fraternal
8 intercourse among the members of such corporation, the relief, aid and
9 assistance of such members and their families who are disabled or indi-
10 gent, and the promotion of the welfare of the volunteer fire service
11 within the West Islip fire district and territory provided with fire
12 protection by contract with such fire district]: to provide relief, aid
13 and assistance to the volunteer members of such corporation who are
14 disabled, indigent or injured in the performance of their duties, and
15 their families; to promote and safeguard the welfare of the volunteer
16 members of such corporation, and their families; to maintain a suitable
17 headquarters for the members of such corporation; to provide for the
18 health and safety of the volunteer members of such corporation; to
19 include support for mental health and encourage team building skills in
20 order to strengthen the safety among the volunteers; and the promotion
21 of the volunteer fire service within the territory protected by the West
22 Islip fire district fire department.
23 § 7. Precept for payment of foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Such
24 corporation shall collect and there shall be paid to it all taxes
25 imposed by section [five hundred fifty-three] 9104 of the insurance law,
26 for fire department use and benefit, upon premiums for insurance against
27 loss or damage by fire covering property situated within the territory
28 protected by the West Islip fire department, located in the town of
29 Islip, Suffolk county, New York, or within any duly organized territory
30 in which the West Islip fire department is or may be obligated to render
31 fire protection. The officer of said corporation designated by its
32 by-laws to collect and receive the aforesaid tax shall have all the
33 powers and be subject to all the provisions of the insurance law, relat-
34 ing to treasurers of fire departments. Such corporation shall also be
35 entitled to receive a share of the tax imposed by section [five hundred
36 fifty-four] 9105 of the insurance law, based upon the business written
37 in the territory with respect to which it is entitled to collect and
38 receive the tax under section [five hundred fifty-three] 9104 of the
39 insurance law. Such taxes shall only be used [for the care and relief of
40 disabled or indigent volunteer and exempt volunteer firemen and their
41 families] by the corporation in furtherance of its purposes as set forth
42 in section three of this act.
43 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
44 the amendments to section 7 of chapter 187 of the laws of 1960 made by
45 section one of this act shall apply to taxes due on premiums received on
46 and after January 1, 2026.
