What's happening
This bill prohibits state and local officers or employees from receiving annual salaries equal to or higher than the governor's without legislative approval.
Why it matters
Seeks to establish the governor’s salary as a ceiling for most public sector salaries. This bill would prevent state and local government officers and employees from getting an annual salary equal to or greater than the governor’s, unless the increase is specifically approved by a majority of both houses of the legislature. This could significantly limit compensation for senior public officials, agency heads, and some professionals (e.g., hospital executives, authority heads).
Includes broad exceptions for union contracts and pre-existing employment agreements. If a collective bargaining agreement (union contract) or a pre-existing employment agreement already provides for a salary increase above the governor’s pay, those increases are not restricted. This means unionized employees and those with current contracts could be unaffected until renegotiation.
Aims to enhance legislative oversight and public accountability for high government salaries. By requiring explicit legislative approval for any salary increases above the governor’s pay, the bill increases transparency and public control over top government compensation, potentially curbing what some view as excessive public salaries.
Would impact a wide range of government entities. The bill’s language amends numerous state laws to cover state agencies, public authorities, the legislature, the judiciary (for non-judicial officers), municipal governments, and other local entities, meaning its effects would be widespread and not limited to state government alone.
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
Cap State Employee Pay
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3195
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. RAIA, MONTESANO, DenDEKKER, PALMESANO, McDONOUGH, GIGLIO, LUPINACCI, HAWLEY, FINCH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. DiPIETRO, McLAUGHLIN, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, the public authorities law, the legislative law, the public officers law, the general municipal law, the executive law and the judiciary law, in relation to placing a limit on the annual salary of state officers and employees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 130 of the civil service law is amended by adding a new subdivision 15 to read as follows:
15. Notwithstanding any provision of this section or provision of law to the contrary, no officer or employee to whom the provisions of this subdivision apply shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this subdivision shall not apply where an agreement between the state and a certified employee organization entered into pursuant to article fourteen of this chapter provides for such an increase on behalf of a position in a collective negotiating unit represented by such employee organization.
§ 2. The title heading of title 1 of article 1 of the public authorities law, as added by chapter 506 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
SHORT TITLE; DEFINITIONS; EMPLOYEES SALARY CAP
§ 3. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 3 to read as follows:
§ 3. Employees salary cap. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no officer or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06960-01-7
A. 3195 2
employee of any public authority shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an employment agreement between a public authority and such officer or employee entered into prior to the effective date of this section provides for such an increase.
§ 4. Section 10 of the legislative law, as amended by chapter 230 of the laws of 1949, is amended to read as follows:
§ 10. Compensation of officers and employees. a. The secretary of the senate, the clerk of the assembly, and all other officers and employees of the senate and assembly, shall be paid the compensation fixed by the appointing officer within the amount provided by appropriation.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no officer or employee of the legislature shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that office or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an employment agreement between the legislature and such officer or employee provides for such an increase.
§ 5. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 71-a to read as follows:
§ 71-a. State and local officers and employees salary cap. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no state officer or local officer, as defined in section two of this chapter, or employee thereof, shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an employment agreement between such state or local office and such officer or employee entered into provides for such an increase.
§ 6. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 90-a to read as follows:
§ 90-a. Public officers and employees salary cap. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no public officer or other employee employed by a municipal corporation, as defined in section two of this chapter, shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an employment agreement between such municipal corporation and such officer or employee provides for such an increase.
§ 7. Section 30 of the executive law is amended to read as follows:
§ 30. Executive department. a. There shall continue to be in the state government an executive department. The head of the executive department shall be the governor. The governor may appoint such subordinates and employees as may be necessary for the exercise of his powers and the performance of his duties as head of the executive department, and may
A. 3195 3
prescribe their duties and fix their compensation within the amounts appropriated therefor.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no subordinate or employee employed by the executive department shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an employment agreement between such municipal corporation and such officer or employee entered into provides for such an increase.
§ 8. Section 37 of the judiciary law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4-a to read as follows:
4-a. Salary cap. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to the contrary, no non-judicial officer or employee shall be entitled to an increase in annual salary, if the annual salary of that officer or employee at the time equals or exceeds, or with the increase would equal or exceed, the annual salary of the governor, unless such increase is approved by a majority vote of both the senate and assembly; provided further that this section shall not apply where an agreement, between the state and a certified employee organization entered into pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law provides for such an increase on behalf of a position in a collective negotiating unit represented by such employee organization or where any other employment agreement between the state and such officer or employees provides for such an increase.
§ 9. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.