Bill > A11181

This bill amends the 1962 law incorporating the West Babylon Volunteer Firemen's Benevolent Association to modernize its language and clarify the use of certain funds. Specifically, it changes gendered terms like "Firemen's" to "Firefighter's" and "fireman" to "firefighter" throughout the text, and also updates pronouns to be gender-neutral. The bill also increases the number of trustees on the association's board from eight to nine members. Crucially, it expands the permitted uses of taxes collected from foreign fire insurance premiums, which are taxes on insurance policies for property within the West Babylon fire department's protected territory. Previously, these funds could only be used for the care and relief of disabled or indigent volunteer and exempt volunteer firefighters and their families; now, they can be used for any purpose that furthers the association's objectives as outlined in section three of the original act. The changes regarding the insurance premium taxes will take effect for taxes due and premiums received on or after January 1, 2027.