On Tuesday, less than one month away from the five-year anniversary of 9/11, Governor Pataki acknowledged the plight of World Trade Center rescue workers who became ill after the recovery and cleanup efforts at the site by signing three new bills into law. The first allows workers whose illnesses emerged after the two-year statute of limitations for filing worker’s compensations claims to resubmit claims. At a press conference at Ground Zero, the governor called the health affects the so-called first responders are suffering an occupational disease rather than an occupational accident, allowing the illnesses to apply under current worker’s compensation laws. The second law gives accidental death benefits to the families of uniformed personnel—including police and firefighters—who participated in the rescue and recovery process. The third law allows those who have retired since the recovery process ended to change their pension status to that of accidental disability if they should develop a 9/11-related illness later. In addition to these laws, Pataki discussed a new plan that will provide rescue workers with benefits and health care that would apply under New York state’s worker’s compensation laws. Mayor Bloomberg wants proof that deaths years after the attacks are related to 9/11, but Pataki sees the connection right away.