Bill Text: NY A05577 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An act to amend the not-for-profit corporation law and the general obligations law, in relation to exempting volunteer coaches, managers, referees, assistants and members of the board of directors for certain youths programs from civil liability while providing services or assistance to a player or participant
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 26-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-06-03 - held for consideration in judiciary [A05577 Detail]
Download: New_York-2009-A05577-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 5577 2009-2010 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y February 13, 2009 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. OAKS, CALHOUN, GIGLIO, HAWLEY, KOLB, TOWNSEND -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BACALLES, BARCLAY, BURLING, BUTLER, CONTE, CORWIN, DUPREY, ERRIGO, FINCH, FITZPATRICK, JORDAN, McDONOUGH, MILLER, MOLINARO, O'MARA, RABBITT, RAIA, REILICH, SAYWARD, SCOZZAFAVA, THIELE, WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary AN ACT to amend the not-for-profit corporation law and the general obli- gations law, in relation to exempting volunteer coaches, managers, referees, assistants and members of the board of directors for certain youths programs from civil liability while providing services or assistance to a player or participant THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. The not-for-profit corporation law is amended by adding a 2 new section 727 to read as follows: 3 S 727. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN PERSONS FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. 4 (A) DEFINITIONS: 5 (1) YOUTHS PROGRAM. A YOUTHS PROGRAM SHALL MEAN ANY RECREATIONAL 6 ACTIVITY WHICH IS OPERATED BY THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, THE GIRL SCOUTS 7 OF AMERICA, THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS, YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, YOUNG 8 WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, YOUNG MEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIATION, YOUNG 9 WOMEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIATION, CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION, KIWANIS INTER- 10 NATIONAL, HI-Y OR OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT LIMITATION TO THE 11 FOREGOING FOR THE RECREATIONAL OR ATHLETIC BENEFIT OF PERSONS EIGHTEEN 12 YEARS OF AGE OR LESS. 13 (2) COMPENSATION. COMPENSATION SHALL MEAN THE EARNINGS OF A PERSON FOR 14 LABOR OR SERVICES, BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR REASONABLE 15 EXPENSES ACTUALLY INCURRED. 16 (B) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, AND NOTWITHSTANDING 17 ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, NO PERSON WHO WITHOUT COMPENSATION 18 THEREFOR AND ACTING AS A VOLUNTEER RENDERS SERVICES WITHIN AN ORGANIZED 19 YOUTHS PROGRAM AS A LEADER, COACH, MANAGER, UMPIRE, REFEREE OR AN EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05183-01-9 A. 5577 2 1 ASSISTANT THERETO, OR WHO SERVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SUCH 2 PROGRAM SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY CIVIL ACTION FOR DAMAGES TO A PARTICIPANT 3 IN SUCH PROGRAM AS A RESULT OF SUCH PERSON'S ACTS OF COMMISSION OR OMIS- 4 SION ARISING OUT OF AND IN THE COURSE OF SUCH PERSON'S RENDERING OF SUCH 5 SERVICES OR ASSISTANCE RELATING THERETO. 6 (C) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO GRANT IMMUNITY TO ANY 7 PERSON CAUSING DAMAGE OR INJURY AS A RESULT OF HIS OR HER WILLFUL, 8 WANTON OR GROSSLY NEGLIGENT ACTS OF COMMISSION OR OMISSION. 9 S 2. The general obligations law is amended by adding a new article 10 10 to read as follows: 11 ARTICLE 10 12 EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN PERSONS FROM CIVIL LIABILITY 13 PERSONS ASSISTING IN SPORTS PROGRAMS 14 SECTION 10-101. DEFINITIONS. 15 10-102. IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY. 16 S 10-101. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS TITLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS 17 SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS: 18 1. YOUTHS PROGRAM. A YOUTHS PROGRAM SHALL MEAN ANY RECREATIONAL ACTIV- 19 ITY WHICH IS OPERATED BY THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, THE GIRL SCOUTS OF 20 AMERICA, THE CAMPFIRE GIRLS, YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, YOUNG 21 WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, YOUNG MEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIATION, YOUNG 22 WOMEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIATION, CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION, KIWANIS INTER- 23 NATIONAL, HI-Y OR OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT LIMITATION TO THE 24 FOREGOING FOR THE RECREATIONAL OR ATHLETIC BENEFIT OF PERSONS EIGHTEEN 25 YEARS OF AGE OR LESS. 26 2. COMPENSATION. COMPENSATION SHALL MEAN THE EARNINGS OF A PERSON FOR 27 LABOR OR SERVICES, BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR REASONABLE 28 EXPENSES ACTUALLY INCURRED. 29 S 10-102. IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY. 1. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN 30 THIS ARTICLE, AND NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, 31 NO PERSON WHO WITHOUT COMPENSATION THEREFOR AND ACTING AS A VOLUNTEER 32 RENDERS SERVICES WITHIN AN ORGANIZED YOUTHS PROGRAM AS A LEADER, COACH, 33 MANAGER, UMPIRE, REFEREE OR AN ASSISTANT THERETO, OR WHO SERVES ON THE 34 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SUCH PROGRAM SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY CIVIL ACTION 35 FOR DAMAGES TO A PARTICIPANT IN SUCH PROGRAM AS A RESULT OF SUCH 36 PERSON'S ACT OF COMMISSION OR OMISSION ARISING OUT OF AND IN THE COURSE 37 OF SUCH PERSON'S RENDERING OF SERVICES OR ASSISTANCE RELATING THERETO. 38 2. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO GRANT IMMUNITY TO ANY 39 PERSON CAUSING DAMAGE OR INJURY AS A RESULT OF HIS OR HER WILLFUL, 40 WANTON OR GROSSLY NEGLIGENT ACTS OF COMMISSION OR OMISSION. 41 S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.