Relates to authorizing state university police, regional state park police and detective investigators for the office of the attorney general to receive additional service credit in an optional twenty year retirement plan.
Summary
This bill amends the Retirement and Social Security Law to expand pension credit eligibility for certain public safety employees in an optional 20-year retirement plan. Specifically, it allows members who previously served as State University police officers, regional state park police officers, or detective investigators in the Office of the Attorney General to receive additional pension credit for up to five years of prior service, so long as they complete 20 years of service and retire under the plan.
To receive the credit, an eligible member must pay the retirement system an amount equal to 3 percent of the member’s compensation for the 12 months immediately preceding the application, multiplied by the number of years of prior service being claimed. The added credit is calculated as one-sixtieth of the member’s final average salary for each year of qualifying prior service. The bill takes effect immediately.
Impact
The bill would change section 384-e of the Retirement and Social Security Law by adding new subdivisions that create a pathway for certain law enforcement personnel to buy back prior service and increase their pension benefits. It affects the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System and the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System, and it applies to a limited group of current or former officers and investigators with qualifying prior service. The fiscal note indicates the measure would create additional pension costs for the state and participating local employers, while also requiring employee contributions toward the purchased credit.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is generally supportive of public safety retirement benefits and was advanced through the legislative process without recorded opposition in the provided materials. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes included here, so the broader debate cannot be directly measured. The bill’s structure, including the required employee buy-in, suggests an effort to balance benefit expansion with some cost recovery.
Contention
The main point of contention is fiscal impact: the actuarial note estimates significant past service costs and ongoing employer liabilities, with costs ultimately borne by the state and participating local employers. Another possible issue is scope, since the bill benefits a narrowly defined set of employees—State University police, regional state park police, and attorney general detective investigators—rather than all public safety workers. No explicit opposition or amendments are provided in the record, but the cost of retroactive service credit is the most likely area of concern.
Same As
Relates to authorizing state university police, regional state park police and detective investigators for the office of the attorney general to receive additional service credit in an optional twenty year retirement plan.
Relates to authorizing state university police, regional state park police and detective investigators for the office of the attorney general to receive additional service credit in an optional twenty year retirement plan.
Authorizes Sgt. Bethany Kidd to receive certain service credit under a twenty year retirement plan for service with the Seneca Falls Police Department.
Authorizes Sgt. Bethany Kidd to receive certain service credit under a twenty year retirement plan for service with the Seneca Falls Police Department.
Provides that a member with credited service in excess of twenty-five years shall receive an additional retirement allowance equal to one-sixtieth of such member's final average salary for each year of creditable service in excess of twenty-five years; makes related provisions.
Authorizes Melissa Baker to receive certain service credit under a twenty year retirement plan for service with the village of Blasdell Police Department.