New York Assembly Bill A05548

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/14/25
• Refer: 2/14/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Provides that for New York city uniformed correction revised plan members of the New York city employees' retirement system, the service retirement benefit shall not be reduced by the primary social security retirement benefit commencing at age sixty-two.

Summary

A05548 would amend the New York retirement and social security law to change how certain retirement benefits are calculated for New York City uniformed correction revised plan members in NYCERS. Under current law, Tier 3 members in these plans generally receive service, early service, and deferred vested benefits that are reduced by an offset equal to 50% of the primary Social Security retirement benefit beginning at age 62. This bill removes that Social Security offset for New York City uniformed correction revised plan members, so their benefits would no longer be reduced when they reach that age. The bill also makes conforming changes to the provisions governing early service retirement and deferred vested benefits, and it clarifies that the Social Security offset section does not apply to these NYCERS correction members when they receive benefits under the amended sections. It includes a provision stating that any resulting change in a participating employer’s contribution rate will not be used in calculating contribution rates under the specified retirement law section. The act would take effect 60 days after becoming law.

Impact

The bill would directly amend sections 505, 511, and 516 of the retirement and social security law to create a special rule for New York City uniformed correction revised plan members of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System. In practical terms, it would increase retirement benefits for the affected correction officers by eliminating the age-62 Social Security offset from service retirement, early retirement, and deferred vested benefits. The fiscal note indicates the change would increase employer contributions, with the cost borne entirely by New York City, and would affect both current members and future hires in the impacted plan.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill is intended as a benefit enhancement for a specific public employee group, and the fiscal note frames it as an increase in retirement benefits for correction members. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to indicate broader support or opposition. Based on the bill text and fiscal note alone, the measure appears favorable to the affected employees but financially significant for the city employer.

Contention

The main point of contention is fiscal cost: the actuarial note projects substantial increases in New York City employer contributions over time and an increase in unfunded accrued liability. Any debate would likely center on whether the benefit improvement for NYC correction members is justified by the added pension expense. A secondary issue is scope, because the bill grants relief only to New York City uniformed correction revised plan members, not to other NYCERS members or other public employee groups who are subject to similar Social Security offsets.