Provides for permitted leaves of absence for members of civil air patrol

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why John Liu says this is needed

Members of the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Pilots are often called upon to respond to states of emergency that are called by the state or federal governments. They perform critical services during these emergencies and are often away from their places of employment for hours or days at a time. Other emergency responders, such as volunteer firefighters or members of a volunteer ambulance service, are already provided protection from retaliation by their employer for their service in responding to a declared emergency under this section. Further, volunteer firefighters, members of a volunteer ambulance service, the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Pilots are already permitted leaves of absence from public employers when responding to a declared emergen- cy, but only the first two groups have the same protections against retaliation from private employers. This bill addresses this disparity by affording members of the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Pilots the same protections extended to volunteer fire- fighters or members of a volunteer ambulance service. At a time of increasing natural disasters and public emergencies, New York must support all volunteer emergency responders who place themselves at risk for the safety of our communities.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.