The bill, which was passed by the Legislature earlier this year, allows rescue and recovery workers who now work for government entities outside of New York City to receive the same benefits already offered to city cops, firefighters, correction officers and sanitation workers.
“They will get vacation coverage and sick coverage at no cost to themselves because they paid, literally, with their health to help New Yorkers, and the State of New York is going to be there for them 100%," Cuomo said.
Cuomo signed the bill at the Jacob Javits Center, where more than 600 motorcycle riders had stopped for lunch as part of a memorial ride to the World Trade Center. Cuomo met them after stopping by the FDNY'S Rescue 1 station with actor Robert De Niro to greet firefighters. De Niro joined the governor at the lunch.