Bill Text: NY A05517 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Creates the Amsterdam Firefighters' Benevolent Association.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-11-20 - signed chap.433 [A05517 Detail]
Download: New_York-2015-A05517-Amended.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5517--A 2015-2016 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y February 25, 2015 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments -- reported and referred to the Commit- tee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT in relation to the creation of the "Amsterdam Firefighters' Benevolent Association" THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Incorporation; membership. A not-for-profit corporation by 2 the name of "Amsterdam Firefighters' Benevolent Association", hereinaft- 3 er referred to as the "association", is hereby created. It shall be 4 composed of such members eligible for membership therein as hereinafter 5 provided as shall: (a) notify the secretary of the Amsterdam Profes- 6 sional Firefighters Union in writing prior to the organization meeting 7 hereinafter provided for the corporation created by this act of their 8 desire to become members; or (b) attend such meeting or an adjournment 9 thereof, and also such persons eligible as may thereafter become members 10 of such corporation pursuant to its by-laws. 11 S 2. Persons eligible for membership. All persons who are now or here- 12 after shall be employed as professional firefighters in the fire depart- 13 ment of the city of Amsterdam, county of Montgomery shall be eligible 14 for membership in the corporation created by this act except that any 15 firefighter who has been removed for cause from the fire department and 16 who has not been reinstated therein shall not be eligible for membership 17 in such corporation. The membership of any person in such corporation 18 shall terminate when his membership in the city of Amsterdam fire 19 department terminates. 20 S 3. Purposes. The association shall have as its purposes the 21 promotion of a friendly association for the betterment of its members 22 and their relations with the community, for promotion of fraternal 23 intercourse among its members, to study and disseminate among its EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01491-04-5 A. 5517--A 2 1 members the most efficient manner of fighting fires and the relief, aid 2 and assistance of its members and their families who are disabled or 3 indigent, and for the promotion of the welfare of the fire service, and 4 for any of the foregoing purposes shall have the power to purchase, take 5 and hold, transfer and convey real and personal property. 6 S 4. Powers and duties. Such corporation shall have all the powers of 7 a not-for-profit corporation, and the provisions of law relating to 8 not-for-profit corporations shall apply to such corporation except where 9 they conflict with the provisions of this act. However, unless the writ- 10 ten approval of the state board of social services shall have first been 11 obtained this corporation shall not establish and maintain any home or 12 institution which, if separately incorporated, would require the 13 approval of such board. 14 S 5. Organization meeting; by-laws. The secretary of the Amsterdam 15 Professional Firefighters' Union shall call a meeting for the organiza- 16 tion of such corporation to be held not later than three months after 17 the effective date of this act, notice of which shall be given by him by 18 posting or causing to be posted a notice thereof in five conspicuous 19 places within the territory protected by the city of Amsterdam fire 20 department and also by publication of notice thereof in one or more 21 newspapers having a general circulation within such territory, and such 22 posting and publication shall be effected at least ten days prior to the 23 date of such meeting. At such meeting or any adjournment thereof the 24 members of such corporation present shall adopt by-laws and elect offi- 25 cers and trustees to serve until the first annual meeting which shall be 26 held on a date to be fixed by the by-laws. Any member failing to comply 27 with the by-laws, rules or regulations duly adopted by such corporation 28 shall be subject to suspension and expulsion in such manner as may be 29 provided for in such by-laws. Any member who ceases to be such, volun- 30 tarily or otherwise, shall forfeit all interest in the property of such 31 corporation. 32 S 6. Control and disposal of funds and property. The control and 33 disposal of the funds of property of such corporation, the exercise of 34 its powers, and the management and control of its affairs shall be vest- 35 ed in and exercised by a board of trustees which shall consist of seven 36 members of such corporation, viz: the president, the vice-president, the 37 secretary, the treasurer and three other members having the title of 38 trustee. Such officer and trustees shall be elected at the annual meet- 39 ing of such corporation in the manner prescribed by its by-laws. 40 S 7. Precept for payment of foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Such 41 corporation shall collect and there shall be paid to it all taxes 42 imposed by article 91 of the insurance law for fire department use and 43 benefit, upon premiums for insurance against loss or damage by fire 44 covering property situated in the city of Amsterdam, county of Montgom- 45 ery, or within any duly organized territory in which the city of Amster- 46 dam fire department is or may be obligated to render fire protection. 47 The officer of said corporation designated by its by-laws to collect and 48 receive the aforesaid tax shall have all the powers and be subject to 49 all the provisions of the insurance law, relating to treasurers of fire 50 departments. Such corporation shall also be entitled to receive a share 51 of the tax imposed by article 91 of the insurance law, based upon the 52 business written in the territory with respect to which it is entitled 53 to collect and receive the tax under article 91 of the insurance law. 54 Such taxes shall only be used for the care and relief of disabled or 55 indigent professional firefighters and their families. A. 5517--A 3 1 S 8. The city of Amsterdam shall pay over to the association any 2 foreign fire insurance monies in its custody. These monies will be used 3 for the purposes set forth in section three of this act. 4 S 9. This act shall take effect January 1, 2017.