A 7918: Relates to the membership and purposes of the Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association of Coldenham Inc.; changes the name of the association to the "Volunteer and Exempt Firefighter's Benevolent Association of Coldenham, Inc"; updates the purposes of such association and the use of taxes received by such association.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7918 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY April 11, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments AN ACT to amend chapter 636 of the laws of 1995 relating to incorporat- ing the Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Association of Coldenham Inc., and providing for its powers and duties, in relation to the purposes and duties of such corporation and the use of foreign fire insurance premium taxes The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Sections 1, 2, 3 and 7 of chapter 636 of the laws of 1995 2 relating to incorporating the Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent 3 Association of Coldenham Inc., and providing for its powers and duties, 4 are amended to read as follows: 5 Section 1. Incorporation; membership. A not-for-profit corporation by 6 the name of the Volunteer and Exempt [Firemen's] Firefighter's Benevo- 7 lent Association of Coldenham, Inc., is hereby created. It shall be 8 composed of such persons eligible to membership therein as hereinafter 9 provided as shall (a) notify the secretary of the Volunteer [Firemen's] 10 Firefighter's Benevolent Association of Coldenham, Inc., in writing 11 prior to the organization meeting of such corporation hereinafter 12 provided for of their desire to become members, or (b) shall attend such 13 meeting or an adjournment thereof, and also such persons so eligible as 14 may become members of such corporation, pursuant to its by-laws. 15 § 2. Persons eligible to membership. All persons who are now or have 16 been, or hereafter shall be active volunteer members of the fire company 17 or corporation of Coldenham and who have heretofore acquired or shall 18 hereafter acquire the status of exempt volunteer [firemen] firefighter 19 as defined in section 200 of the general municipal law or any other 20 applicable law by virtue of having rendered service in said fire corpo- 21 ration or fire company in such district, and all persons who are now or 22 hereafter shall be active volunteer members of said fire company or 23 corporation shall be eligible for membership in the corporation hereby 24 created; provided that any person who has been expelled or removed for 25 cause from membership in any fire department or company shall not be EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10688-01-5 
 A. 7918 2 1 eligible to membership in such corporation. The membership of any person 2 in such corporation shall terminate when [his] their membership as an 3 active volunteer member of the fire company or corporation of Coldenham 4 shall terminate before such persons shall have acquired the status of 5 exempt volunteer [firemen] firefighter as defined in section 200 of the 6 general municipal law by virtue of having rendered services to such fire 7 company or corporation. 8 § 3. Purposes. The purposes of [such corporation shall be the mainte- 9 nance of suitable headquarters for, and the promotion of friendly asso- 10 ciation for the betterment of the members of such corporation and their 11 relations with the community, for the promotion of fraternal intercourse 12 among the members of such corporation, to study and disseminate among 13 the members of such corporation the most efficient manner of fighting 14 fire, the relief, aid and assistance of such members and their families 15 who are disabled or indigent and to acquire real and personal property 16 such as may be necessary for the purposes herein set forth and the 17 promotion of the welfare of the volunteer fire service within the terri- 18 tory now served or which may hereafter be served by the fire company or 19 corporation of Coldenham] the corporation created by this act shall be: 20 (a) to provide relief, aid and assistance to the volunteer members of 21 such corporation who are disabled, indigent or injured in the perform- 22 ance of such members' duties, and such members' families; (b) to promote 23 and safeguard the welfare of the volunteer members of such corporation, 24 and such members' families; (c) to provide for the health and safety of 25 the volunteer members of the corporation; (d) to maintain a suitable 26 headquarters for the promotion of fraternal camaraderie among the 27 members of such corporation; (e) to enhance the morale of the volunteer 28 members of such corporation by providing social and recreational activ- 29 ities for the volunteer members of such corporation; and (f) the 30 promotion of the volunteer fire service within the territory protected 31 by such Coldenham Fire Department. 32 § 7. Precept for payment of foreign fire insurance premium taxes. Such 33 corporation shall collect and there shall be paid to it all taxes 34 imposed by section 9104 of the insurance law for fire department use and 35 benefit upon premiums for insurance against loss or damage by fire 36 covering property situated within the Coldenham fire district within the 37 towns of Newburgh and Montgomery located in Orange county, New York. The 38 officers of said corporation designated by its by-laws to collect and 39 receive the aforesaid tax shall have all the powers and be subject to 40 all the provisions of the insurance law, relating to treasurers of fire 41 departments. Such corporation shall also be entitled to receive a share 42 of the tax distributed pursuant to the provisions of section 9105 of the 43 insurance law, based upon the business written in the territory with 44 respect to which it is entitled to collect and receive the tax under 45 section 9104 of the insurance law. Such taxes shall only be used [for 46 the care and relief of indigent volunteer and exempt firefighters and 47 their families] by the corporation in furtherance of its purposes as set 48 forth in section three of this act. 49 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 50 the amendments to section 7 of chapter 636 of the laws of 1995 relating 51 to incorporating the Volunteer and Exempt Firemen's Benevolent Associ- 52 ation of Coldenham Inc., and providing for its powers and duties made by 53 section one of this act shall apply to taxes due on premiums received on 54 and after January 1, 2026.