What's happening
This bill amends the public officers law to define "retiree" and "beneficiary" in the Freedom of Information Law and clarifies privacy protections for their information.
Why it matters
Clarifies who is protected. By formally defining "retiree" and "beneficiary," the bill closes potential loopholes in privacy protections under the Freedom of Information Law, ensuring consistent application when it comes to public records requests.
Protects sensitive personal information. The bill specifically shields the home addresses of retirees and the names and home addresses of beneficiaries from public disclosure, reducing risks of identity theft, harassment, or unwanted solicitation.
Impacts transparency and labor rights. While the bill restricts public access to certain personal data, it preserves the ability of employee unions to access this information for collective bargaining purposes, maintaining a balance between privacy and labor organization needs.
Standardizes legal interpretations. By referencing the Retirement and Social Security Law for definitions, the bill creates legal clarity and uniformity across public agencies, making it easier to comply with and enforce privacy standards.
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
Clarify Retiree, Beneficiary Definitions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.262
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.76
- Reported
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3306
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, PEOPLES-STOKES, GLICK, GALEF, ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to defining the terms "retiree" and "beneficiary" within the freedom of information law
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 86 of the public officers law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 6 and 7 to read as follows:
6. "Retiree" means a former officer or employee of an agency, the state legislature, or the judiciary who was a member of a public retirement system of the state, as such term is defined in subdivision twenty-three of section five hundred one of the retirement and social security law and is receiving, or entitled to receive, a benefit from such public retirement system.
7. "Beneficiary" means a person designated by a member or retiree of a public retirement system of the state to receive retirement or death benefits following the death of the member or retiree.
§ 2. Subdivision 7 of section 89 of the public officers law, as added by chapter 783 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as follows:
7. Nothing in this article shall require the disclosure of the home address of an officer or employee, former officer or employee, or of a retiree of a public [employees'] retirement system of the state, as such term is defined in subdivision twenty-three of section five hundred one of the retirement and social security law; nor shall anything in this article require the disclosure of the name or home address of a beneficiary of a public [employees'] retirement system of the state, as such term is defined in subdivision twenty-three of section five hundred one of the retirement and social security law, or of an applicant for appointment to public employment; provided however, that nothing in this
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03537-01-7
A. 3306 2
subdivision shall limit or abridge the right of an employee organization, certified or recognized for any collective negotiating unit of an employer pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law, to obtain the name or home address of any officer, employee or retiree of such employer, if such name or home address is otherwise available under this article.
§ 3. 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.