NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7961
SPONSOR: Griffin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing
a supplemental burial allowance for certain first responders
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would allow for a supplemental burial allowance for
deceased first responders who died as a result of a World Trade Center
medical condition.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill amends subdivision 1 of section 354-b of the
executive law by adding "certified first responders" of the September
eleventh, two thousand one attacks who have died as a result of a certi-
fied World Trade Center medical condition making them eligible to
receive the New York state supplemental burial allowance provided to
military veterans.
Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
Each day, the number of deaths of first responders who participated in
World Trade Center rescue, recovery, and cleanup operations continue to
grow. For first responders who are still in good health, the fear of
future illness is a grim reality. However, these heroes still have to
focus on providing financially for their families and preparing for the
potential risk of developing an illness. The New York state supplemental
burial allowance for veterans of up to six thousand dollars being
extended to first responders of the September eleventh, two thousand one
attacks would provide these heroes and their families peace of mind in a
time of worst circumstance.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A8068/S3308: Referred to Governmental Employees/ Referred to
Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
2021- 2022: A7036/S791- Held for consideration in Governmental Employ-
ees/ Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
2019-2020: S5841, Referred to Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs Committee
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7961
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 16, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GRIFFIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing
a supplemental burial allowance for certain first responders
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The section heading and subdivision 1 of section 8 of the
2 veterans' services law are amended to read as follows:
3 New York state supplemental burial allowance for members of the
4 uniformed services of the United States killed in combat or duty subject
5 to hostile fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC § 310 and for
6 certain certified first responders. 1. As used in this section,
7 "parent" means a father, a mother, a father through adoption, a mother
8 through adoption, or an individual who, for a period of not less than
9 one year, at any time before the decedent's entry into active military
10 service or at any time before September eleventh, two thousand one,
11 stood in the relationship of a parent to a decedent who died in combat
12 or duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC
13 § 310, or who died from a wound incurred in combat or while serving on
14 duty subject to hostile fire or imminent danger, as defined in 37 USC §
15 310, or who was a certified first responder who died as a result of a
16 certified World Trade Center medical condition or, if two persons stood
17 in the relationship of a parent for one year or more, the person who
18 bore the expenses of the funeral of the decedent.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09143-01-5
