Authorizes Michael J. Cappiello to purchase service credit for service with the Long Island Railroad Company police department prior to its merger with the MTA and the state retirement system.
Summary
This bill is a private retirement benefit measure for Michael J. Cappiello, a former member of the Long Island Railroad Company police department and current member of the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System. It authorizes him, if he acts within one year of the bill’s effective date, to purchase up to three years of service credit for his prior railroad police service. To do so, he must file a written request and pay a contribution equal to three percent of his compensation for the 12 months immediately preceding the application, multiplied by the number of years of credit sought.
The bill is narrowly tailored to one individual and does not create a general class of eligibility for other employees. It also states that the state will bear all past service costs associated with implementing the act. The bill takes effect immediately, and the fiscal note estimates a one-time past service cost of about $100,000, with approximately $13,900 paid by the member and about $86,100 paid by the state.
Impact
The bill would amend the practical application of New York retirement law by allowing a specific individual to buy service credit in the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System for prior employment with the Long Island Railroad Company police department. It affects retirement credit calculations, pension eligibility, and the allocation of pension costs, while expressly providing that Suffolk County’s annual contributions would not increase and that the state would cover the remaining past service cost.
Sentiment
The available materials suggest little to no controversy around the bill. There are no recorded committee transcripts or floor votes in the provided context, and the measure appears to have been treated as a targeted retirement credit authorization. The fiscal note frames the cost as limited and quantifiable, which typically supports a neutral or favorable legislative posture for a private pension bill of this kind.
Contention
The main issue of potential contention is fiscal responsibility: the bill shifts the bulk of the past service cost to the state, rather than to the member or Suffolk County. A secondary point is the special, individualized nature of the legislation, since it grants a benefit to a named person rather than establishing a broader policy for similarly situated employees. No opposing arguments are documented in the provided record, but those are the most likely areas of concern.
Same As
Authorizes Michael J. Cappiello to purchase service credit for service with the Long Island Railroad Company police department prior to its merger with the MTA and the state retirement system.