Relates to a waiver of earnings limitation for certain retirees of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system employed by the state university

1 Co-sponsor

• Leroy Comrie

Title of bill

An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to a waiver of earnings limitation for certain retirees of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system who are employed by the state university

Purpose or general idea of bill

Permits retired police and firefighter officers to re-enter public service for the state university of New York or a community college under the program of the State University of New York as a faculty member, or as director of public safety for a community college.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Subdivision six of subdivision 2 of section 211 of the retirement and social security law is amended to allow for waiver of public service income restrictions to be granted by the SUNY chancellor for a retired member of the Police and Fire Retirement System to work as a faculty member at a SUNY school.

A new subdivision eight of subdivision 2 of section 211 of the retirement and social security law is added to allow for a waiver to be granted by the president of a community college if the would-be employee is a Police and Fire Retirement System member and is to be employed as a faculty member or director of public safety at such a community college.

Justification

Unlike New York's public employee retirees, private sector and non New York public retirees are not restricted in the amount of earnings they can receive if they choose to return to New York public employment after retirement. New York public service retirees must be granted a waiver pursuant to Section 211 of the Retirement and Social Security Law in order to earn over $30,000 per year or be subject to a reduction in their retirement benefits. Currently, there are numerous New York retirees who are valuable law enforcement personnel who are essential members of the faculty and instructors in the areas of criminal justice and law enforcement, and contribute to the public safety on SUNY's college campuses.

Enactment of this legislation will dramatically broaden the pool of eligible candidates for SUNY and community colleges in the teaching faculty and director of public safety at a community college. This will contribute greatly to education and security of the campuses of the State University of New York.

Prior legislative history

Previously introduced with Assemblyman Zebrowski.

Fiscal implications

The C print amends the bill to include the fiscal note. A qualified member of the American Academy of Actuaries estimates that, if this bill is enacted, few retirees of the NYS and Local Police and Retirement system will be affected. There would be negligible additional annual costs.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.