New York Senate Bill S04824

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/13/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 4/29/25
• Engrossed: 6/13/25
• Refer: 6/13/25
• Engrossed: 6/16/25
• Enrolled: 12/8/25
• Chaptered: 12/19/25
• Passed: 12/19/25

Caption

Provides a performance and discharge of duty presumption for any condition of impairment of health caused by leptospirosis, resulting in total or partial disability or death to a paid member of the uniformed force of a paid sanitation department, where such paid member is drawn from competitive civil service lists, who successfully passed a physical examination on entry into the service of such department, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition.

Summary

Bill S04824 aims to amend the general municipal law to establish a rebuttable presumption that any health impairment caused by leptospirosis, resulting in total or partial disability or death, is incurred in the performance of duty for members of the uniformed force of sanitation departments in certain cities. This presumption applies to paid members who have passed a physical examination upon entry into service, which did not indicate any existing condition. The bill seeks to enhance the benefits available to these sanitation workers under the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS).

Impact

If enacted, the bill will significantly alter the benefits structure for NYCERS sanitation members who suffer from leptospirosis-related disabilities. Currently, affected members receive ordinary disability retirement benefits, which are typically one-third of their salary. Under the new legislation, the performance of duty disability benefit would increase to 75% of the final average salary, and the death benefit would provide a lifetime benefit of 50% of the member's last year's wages, along with potential additional benefits. This change is expected to increase employer contributions to the retirement system due to the higher benefits.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding Bill S04824 appears to be overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by the unanimous support in committee votes and on the Senate and Assembly floors. The bill passed through the Senate Local Government Committee with 7 votes in favor and no opposition, followed by a 20-0 vote in the Senate Rules Committee, and a final Senate floor vote of 59-0. In the Assembly, the bill also received strong support with a vote of 143-2, indicating broad bipartisan agreement on the importance of supporting sanitation workers affected by leptospirosis.

Contention

While the bill has garnered strong support, there may be concerns regarding the financial implications of increased employer contributions to the NYCERS. Some stakeholders might argue about the sustainability of these increased costs, especially if the number of qualifying cases is higher than anticipated. However, specific points of contention have not been highlighted in the available discussions or voting records.