A.11538 / S.10650 Extends the Expansion of Eligibility for World Trade Center Death and Disability Benefits for Members of New York’s National Guard and Their Beneficiaries
A.11213A/S.10085A Extends the 25-Year Presumptive Eligibility Period for Certain Retirement Benefits for Injuries or Illnesses Related to World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery and Cleanup
“None of us will ever forget the horrific attacks on our state and nation on that day in 2001 — nor will we ever forget the unflinching bravery and sacrifice of civilians and first responders whose lives were devastated,” Governor Hochul said. “As we mark the 25th anniversary of the events at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, we sign these three laws to support and honor those whose lives were transformed on that terrible day.”
A.11531 / S.10605 amends the Retirement and Social Security Law to extend to September 11, 2030, the deadline to submit documentation with the retirement system detailing an individual’s participation in World Trade Center rescue, recovery and clean-up operations following September 11, 2001. This legislation also extends the deadline to submit Form WTC-12 to the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board until September 11, 2030. Submitting the proper documentation preserves an individual’s right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits in the future for any injury or illness caused by participation in rescue, recovery and clean-up operations between September 11, 2001, and September 11, 2002. All such persons who participated at Ground Zero, Fresh Kills Landfill, the barges, the piers and/or the morgues during that time should file Form WTC-12 whether they were injured or not.
The legislation also requires the Board to reconsider any claims in which the worker became disabled between September 11, 2021, and September 11, 2025, which were previously disallowed due to the deadline, and extends the time limit for filing new claims for injuries or illnesses occurring within that timeframe until on or before September 11, 2030.
State Senator Robert Jackson said, “Twenty-five years after September 11, remembrance must mean more than looking back — it must mean standing by those who carried New York through its darkest hour. I am proud that S.10605 and S.10085A, two bills I sponsor, are now law because our responsibility to the 9/11 community cannot be measured by the passage of time. The years may move forward, but sacrifice does not expire, illness does not obey a calendar, and neither should justice. I commend Governor Hochul for signing these measures into law and affirming a promise that must endure across generations: New York remembers, New York honors and New York stands by those who stood for us.”
Assemblymember Charles D. Fall said, “Twenty-five years after September 11th, the heroes who answered the call are still living with the consequences of the courage they showed that day and in the months that followed. We can never put a deadline on our responsibility to them. I’m proud that my legislation is now law, ensuring that responders who ran toward danger, worked on the pile, and helped our city recover have more time to protect their right to the benefits they earned and deserve, especially as 9/11-related illnesses continue to surface decades later. ‘Never Forget’ must be more than words. It means remembering their sacrifice, standing with their families, and continuing to show up for the heroes who showed up for us.”
A.11538 / S.10650 extends by four years, through September 11, 2030, the deadline for submitting a claim for World Trade Center death and disability benefits for members of New York’s National Guard members and their beneficiaries. This relates to members of the National Guard who were activated on state active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to participate in World Trade Center site rescue, recovery or cleanup operations as part of their duty and determined to have incurred a qualifying World Trade Center condition.
Assemblymember Grace Lee said, “Twenty-five years ago, thousands of our National Guard members answered the call to duty, descending on Ground Zero to assist in rescue and recovery efforts. Five members of the National Guard died on that tragic day, and many more have battled health complications as a result of their service. Thank you to Governor Hochul for signing this bill, as part of a package supporting 9/11 victims, responders and their families. We will never forget the sacrifices made by all who answered the call on 9/11, and we will keep fighting to honor and support them.”
A.11213A/S.10085A Extends the 25-year presumptive eligibility period for certain retirement benefits for injuries or illnesses related to World Trade Center rescue, recovery and clean-up, extending provisions allowing for the reclassification of retiree deaths as World Trade Center qualifying accidental deaths for retirees who die after having been retired for more than 25 years up to a maximum of 35 years.
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato said, “The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 had, and still has, a profound lasting impact on our State’s history and is felt by many residents in our community, and across our great State. ‘Never Forget’ is not a motto, it is a real statement that New York is fully committed to honoring. Ensuring all 9/11 victims, first responders and their families can continue to receive the benefits and support they are entitled to is an essential part of that commitment. I commend Governor Hochul for her continued dedication to helping those impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and applaud her for signing these vital pieces of legislation into law.”
New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Freida D. Foster said, “The Board applauds Governor Hochul’s tireless work fighting for the best outcomes for all New Yorkers and especially the brave responders who put their own lives on the line to help others. As World Trade Center health consequences continue to manifest 25 years later, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board remains dedicated to ensuring World Trade Center victims, responders, and surviving family members get every benefit they are entitled to receive. We continue to urge all those who participated in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts to file a WTC-12 form to preserve their rights to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits should they ever need them.”
New York State AFL-CIO Mario Cilento said, “These bills are critical to ensuring that the workers who answered the call to rescue, recover, and clean up at the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are no longer denied the benefits they and their families have earned and deserve. By signing these bills into law as we mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Governor Hochul has once again demonstrated her unwavering support for those who risked their own lives to save others. We thank her for her continued commitment to addressing the ongoing struggles faced by so many selfless heroes.”
Police Conference of New York President Michael O’Meara said, “The Police Conference of New York, representing almost 50,000 police officers across New York State sincerely thanks Governor Hochul and the members of the New York State Legislature for remembering and honoring the commitments to all of our brave 1st responders by passing and signing these bills into law. The Governor has once again shown courage and resolve in these meaningful actions that will have real impact on the brave men and women who so proudly served our state in its darkest hours. Thank you.”
NYC PBA President Patrick Hendry said, “These bills are far more than a tribute to our 9/11 heroes. They are a promise to the responders and their families that the benefits they count on will remain available for years to come. We thank Governor Hochul and the legislature for once again showing that there is no expiration date to our obligation to care for those who sacrificed their health to protect our city.”
NYPD DEA President Scott Munro said, “Our Detectives are still dying from 9/11-related cancers, and their families are still living with the devastating consequences of the work they did at Ground Zero. For 25 years, they have paid the price for breathing toxic air while answering the call. The DEA has never stopped fighting to protect our members and their families, and we never will. Governor Hochul’s signing of this legislation ensures that those who sacrificed their health in service to this city will continue to receive the benefits they earned and deserve. We are grateful to her for standing up for what is right.”
New York State Professional Firefighters Association President Sam Fresina said, “On behalf of every professional firefighter who answered the call on September 11th and in the months of rescue, recovery, and clean-up that followed, we thank Governor Hochul for signing this critical legislation. We have long known that WTC-related illnesses, cancers, respiratory disease, and other conditions do not follow a calendar. They can emerge decades after exposure. A twenty-five-year window left too many of our brothers and sisters and their families without the protections they earned through their service and sacrifice. This extension is a direct response to what our doctors, our union locals and our families have been telling Albany for years: the WTC health crisis is ongoing, and our laws must reflect that. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, Senator Jackson, Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato and every legislator who fought to get this bill across the finish line.”
UFA President Bobby Eustace said, “On the eve of the 25th anniversary of September 11th, the Uniformed Firefighters Association thanks Governor Kathy Hochul for signing legislation that recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices of New York City firefighters. As we remember the 343 FDNY members murdered on September 11th and the hundreds more we have lost to World Trade Center-related illness, this action carries special meaning. Governor Hochul has shown that she stands with the FDNY and the families who have carried this burden for 25 years. We are grateful for her leadership and commitment to those who continue to protect this city.”
UFOA President Jim Brosi said, “The Uniformed Fire Officers Association would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Governor Hochul for extending line-of-duty death benefits for an additional 10 years for all officers and firefighters who succumb to 9/11-related illness. The World Trade Center pension protection benefit was one of the few legislative accomplishments that gave our members the peace of mind that their families would be protected if the effects of working at Ground Zero eventually took their life. You have always understood the importance of protecting members’ benefits and the families they leave behind. Your continued support and recognition of this ongoing crisis gives real peace of mind to members and families who suffer chronic illness, and to the families who have lost loved ones because of their service on that day and in the months that followed. The extension of this benefit should give all members the peace of mind that, despite the immeasurable suffering they’ve endured, they will not be without coverage — and their families will not go without the protection they earned.”
FDNY EMS Local 2507 President Michael Greco said, “The members of the FDNY EMS salute Governor Hochul for this important action she is taking by signing three laws intended preserve the health and rights of our members and retirees who participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operation a quarter-century ago. As the recent release of documents by the City of New York illustrated, early on, officials were highly concerned about the toxic environment at Ground Zero but still did not pause the essential work of our members on the front lines. Extending crucial health related benefit deadlines for those health- impacted members, is the right thing to do and we thank the Governor for signing these bills along with Assemblymembers Grace Lee, Stacey Pfeffer Amato, Charles Fall, and Senators Robert Jackson and Brian Kavanagh, for introducing them.”
New York State Public Employee Conference Chairman Peter D. Meringolo said, “NYSPEC led the negotiations which, in 2005, after an almost four-year battle chiefly with the City of New York, culminated in the original 9/11 Presumptive Disability Legislation. That first bill, which has been improved and expanded upon numerous times over the years, has helped several thousand public employees and their families. Unfortunately, the law, and all its benefits, was set to expire this Friday, the 25th Anniversary of the heinous attacks. On behalf of the more than one million active and retired public employees we represent, we thank Senator Robert Jackson and Members of the Assembly Charles Fall and Stacey Pheffer Amato for sponsoring and advancing bills to extend the original legislation and the filing dates, and we applaud Governor Kathy Hochul for signing these two crucial measures into law!”
For more information on the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board’s World Trade Center registry and other supports available to 9/11 victims, responders, and families, visit: https://www.wcb.ny.gov/WTC/wtc-assistance.jsp.
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Peru CSD Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the High School Community Room. It is anticipated that an executive session will take place immediately following the 5:30 PM start, and that the Board will reconvene for open public session business at approximately 6:00 PM. The meeting will be recorded and will be available on the District’s website at www.perucsd.org.
News Release of September 13, 2026 – “Twenty-five years later, we continue to stand together as neighbors to remember and honor those lost during the September 11 attacks. We remember the incredibly brave firefighters and first responders who assisted with immediate search and rescue, as well as those from throughout the nation who answered the call to navigate the landscape after the towers fell. We thank the emergency dispatchers who answered each call, providing support in an environment they never could have imagined. We thank our nation’s allies for their generous support during our most dire hour of need. Most of all, we honor those who were lost both in the attacks and as a result of exposure to hazardous materials during recovery efforts. I thank the organizers of the many memorial ceremonies being held throughout the North Country who work to ensure their stories and memory are never forgotten.”
Plattsburgh, September 9, 2026. It’s National Preparedness Month and the Clinton County Health Department is reminding residents to plan ahead for different types of emergencies.
Plattsburgh Public Art Project is celebrating ten years beautifying the North Country and building community through art. Meet Outside Art Director Amy Guglielmo as she shares the inspiration for the 20 plus mural projects in the region and why public art matters and benefits us all. Learn about the future goals of the organization and how it takes a village to paint the town.
Thanks to Rochelle Ginis for her photo taken on Labor Day at Northern Orchard’s Farm Stand, Union Road in Peru.
Free interactive class features demos, recipes and tasting