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Senators Collins and Schumer Reintroduce Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act

Published Date: 11.29.2011

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) along with original co-sponsor Charles Schumer (D-NY) have introduced the Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act (S. 1911), a bill that would clarify the treatment of length of service award programs (LOSAPs) in the federal tax code. LOSAPs are pension-like programs for volunteer emergency services personnel. Nearly 20 percent of the volunteer firefighters in America participate in some form of a LOSAP. 

The treatment of LOSAPs in the existing tax structure is ambiguous at best, and has not been updated legislatively since 1996. In 2002, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) formed a LOSAP Committee to examine current law and come up with ideas for clarifying how LOSAPs are taxed. S. 1911 reflects the recommendations of the LOSAP Committee.

"This legislation is crucial for the volunteer fire and emergency services," said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. "Communities that want to provide LOSAPs for their volunteers currently face unnecessary complications in setting up and administering programs because of the federal tax code."

The NVFC sent Senators Collins and Schumer a letter on November 16 thanking them for introducing the Volunteer Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act. 

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