STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2008 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the appropri- ation of funds for the training of firefighters The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 72-c of the general municipal law, as amended by 2 section 1 of subpart C of part C of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, is 3 amended to read as follows: 4 § 72-c. Expenses of members of the police department, the fire depart- 5 ment and other peace officers in attending police or firefighter train- 6 ing schools. The board or body of a county, city, town or village 7 authorized to appropriate and to raise money by taxation and to make 8 payments therefrom, is hereby authorized, in its discretion, to appro- 9 priate and to raise money by taxation and to make payments from such 10 moneys, for the annual expenses of the members of the police department 11 of such municipal corporation in attending a police training school, and 12 for the annual expenses of the members of the fire department of such 13 municipal corporation in attendance in a firefighter training school, as 14 provided by the regulations of the department, either within such munic- 15 ipal corporation or elsewhere within the state; and for the payment of 16 reasonable expenses of such members and other police officers [or], 17 peace officers or firefighters of the municipality while going to, 18 attending, and returning from any training school conducted by or under 19 the auspices of the federal bureau of investigation, or, in the case of 20 firefighters, under the auspices of the appropriate entity, whether 21 within or without the state. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision 22 of any general, special or local law to the contrary, whenever a member 23 of the police department of a municipal corporation has attended a 24 police training school, or a member of the fire department of a munici- 25 pal corporation has attended a firefighter training school, the expense EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00762-01-5
S. 2008 2 1 of which was borne by such municipal corporation, terminates employment 2 with such municipal corporation and commences employment with any other 3 municipal corporation or employer county sheriff, such employer munici- 4 pal corporation or employer county sheriff shall reimburse the prior 5 employer municipal corporation for such expenses, including, salary, 6 tuition, enrollment fees, books, and the cost of transportation to and 7 from training school, as follows: on a pro rata basis, to be calculated 8 by subtracting from the number of days in the three years following the 9 date of the member's graduation from police or firefighter training 10 school, the number of days between the date of the member's graduation 11 from training school and the date of the termination of employment with 12 the municipal corporation which paid for such training, and multiplying 13 the difference by the per diem cost of such expenses, to be calculated 14 by dividing the total cost of such expenses by the number of days in the 15 three years following the date of the member's graduation, if such 16 change in employment occurs within three years of such member's gradu- 17 ation from police or firefighter training school. Provided, however, the 18 employer municipal corporation or employer county sheriff shall not be 19 required to reimburse the prior employer municipal corporation for that 20 portion of such expenses which is reimbursable by the member to the 21 prior employer municipal corporation under the terms of an employment or 22 labor agreement. Provided, further, however, the employer municipal 23 corporation or employer county sheriff shall not be required to reim- 24 burse the prior employer municipal corporation for such basic training 25 if such change in employment occurs after the expiration of the validity 26 of the member's certificate attesting to the satisfactory completion of 27 an approved municipal police or firefighter basic training program. 28 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.