What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
History
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Referred to civil service and pensions
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S811
Title of bill
An act in relation to affecting the health insurance benefits and contributions of certain retired public employees
Purpose
To protect all public employee retirees from decreases in health insurance benefits.
Summary of provisions
The bill would prohibit a public employer from diminishing the health insurance benefits or contributions provided on behalf of retirees and their dependents unless there is a corresponding decrease for active employees during the period between May 15, 2015 and May 15, 2016. A public employer is defined as: (i) the state; (ii) a county, city, town, village; (iii) a school district, a board of cooperative educational services, vocational education and extension board or school district; (iv) any governmental entity operating a college or university; (v) a public improvement or special district; (vi) a public authority, commission or public benefit corporation; or, (vii) any other public corporation, agency, or unit of government which exercises governmental power.
Justification
Public retirees are not represented in the collective bargaining process. As a result, they have no control over a public employer's decision to decrease their health insurance benefits. The impact of such a unilateral decision can be devastating for a retired person living on a fixed income. The law already provides such protection to school district retirees. It is unfair to deny the same to all other public retirees.
Legislative history
2013-14: S.1158 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions 2011-12: S.916A Remained in the Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pension 2009-10: S.380 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions 2007-08: S.720 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately and deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after May 15, 2015.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.