Location: 114th
(September 23, 2016) – On September 21, 2016, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved legislation preserving incentives for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel. Provisions from S. 609, the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (VRIPA), were included in the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act, legislation the committee considered and approved.
S. 609, which was introduced by Senators Charles Schumer (NY) and Susan Collins (ME), exempts from federal income tax any property tax benefit, and up to $600 per year of any other type of benefit, that a state or local unit of government provides to volunteer emergency responders as a recruitment or retention incentive. Congressman John Larson (CT-1) introduced H.R. 2752, companion legislation to S. 609, on June 12, 2015.