Relates to the election of retirement benefits for certain members of the New York state and local employees' retirement system who are employed by the office of mental health.
Summary
This bill amends the New York Retirement and Social Security Law to create a special retirement-benefit election for certain Office of Mental Health employees who hold security hospital treatment assistant titles, including senior, Spanish-language, supervisor, and chief positions. Under the bill, these members may file an irrevocable election to be covered entirely by either Article 14 or Article 15 of the retirement law, rather than being limited to the existing one-year window after entering the title. The bill also clarifies that the election is made in writing and filed with the comptroller.
The measure is temporary: it takes effect 30 days after becoming law and expires, with repeal, 180 days later. The fiscal note indicates the bill would allow affected employees to switch between an Age-55 plan and a 25-year service plan, and estimates increased state pension contributions beginning in fiscal year 2027, along with a one-time past service cost. The bill is aimed at a defined group of roughly 717 employees in the Office of Mental Health and would alter how those workers can choose retirement coverage within NYSLRS.
Impact
The bill would amend section 700 of the Retirement and Social Security Law to add a new subdivision granting a narrow class of Office of Mental Health employees a one-time opportunity to elect between retirement plan options outside the usual initial-employment election period. It would affect the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System, the comptroller’s administration of retirement elections, and the retirement benefits available to security hospital treatment assistants and related titles. The fiscal note projects higher employer contribution costs for the state and a significant one-time past service liability.
Sentiment
The available materials suggest the bill is generally supportive of a specific workforce group and is framed as a targeted retirement-benefit adjustment rather than a broad policy change. There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or debate. The fiscal note, however, signals that the proposal has meaningful cost implications for the state pension system.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal: the bill would increase state retirement costs, including ongoing annual contributions and a one-time past service payment. Another possible issue is policy fairness, because it creates a special, temporary election opportunity for a limited set of Office of Mental Health titles that is not generally available to other retirement system members. No specific objections or supporters are documented in the provided record, but those cost and preferential-treatment concerns are the most likely areas of debate.
Same As
Relates to the election of retirement benefits for certain members of the New York state and local employees' retirement system who are employed by the office of mental health.
Relates to the election of retirement benefits for certain members of the New York state and local employees' retirement system who are employed by the office of mental health.
Authorizes the transfer of memberships for certain members of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system who previously held a membership with the New York state and local employees' retirement system back to such retirement system.
Authorizes the transfer of memberships for certain members of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system who previously held a membership with the New York state and local employees' retirement system back to such retirement system.