What's happening
This bill allows certain state police retirees to count up to five years of previous SUNY police service toward retirement benefits.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility for retirement credit. By including service in both the general state retirement system and the police/fire retirement system, the bill enables more former SUNY police officers who later became state police to count up to five years of their earlier SUNY service toward their state police retirement benefits.
Eases training timeline requirement. The bill gives SUNY police officers up to two years (instead of just one) from their appointment to complete required law enforcement training, making it easier for officers who may have had scheduling or logistical barriers to still qualify for the service credit.
Potentially boosts retirement payouts. Eligible retirees can increase their pension by up to one-twelfth of their final average salary (five years × 1/60 per year), which could make a meaningful financial difference in retirement planning.
No projected cost to the state. According to the actuarial analysis, this change is not expected to create additional costs for the retirement system, suggesting that the bill balances expanded benefits with fiscal responsibility.
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
State Police members with prior SUNY police service
Eligible members retiring after more than 20 years of service could receive an additional one-sixtieth of final average salary for each year of prior SUNY police service, up to five years.
Former SUNY police officers who completed training within two years
The bill would extend eligibility for the credit to qualifying officers retiring on or after January 1, 2018, who completed required law enforcement training within two years of appointment.
New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System
The bill would explicitly include prior SUNY police service credited in this system, alongside service credited in the Employees’ Retirement System.
Headline styles
Credit SUNY Police Service
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S5948
- Rules report cal.611
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to governmental employees
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Credit SUNY Police Service
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Fredrick J. Akshar II
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7818
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 16, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to granting certain members of the state police credit for service as a state university police officer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 2 of subdivision c of section 381-b of the retirement and social security law, as added by chapter 581 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows:
(2) State university police officer service. Upon completion of more than twenty years of service, and upon retirement, each such member who was previously credited with service credit in the New York state and local employees' retirement system or the New York state and local police and fire retirement system as an officer appointed by the state university pursuant to paragraph l of subdivision two of section three hundred fifty-five of the education law and who has successfully completed a course of law enforcement training as provided in such section of the education law or for any such officer who retires on and after January first, two thousand eighteen who has successfully completed such course of law enforcement training within two years of his or her date of appointment shall receive for each such year of previous service, up to a total of no greater than five years of previous service, additional service credit equal to one-sixtieth of his or her final average salary.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.-- Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would allow up to five (5) years of previous service
rendered as a police officer appointed by SUNY, pursuant to Section 355
of the Education Law, to be creditable service under Section 381-b of
the Retirement and Social Security Law for certain members who retire on
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10817-02-7
A. 7818 2
or after January 1, 2018, if such police officer had completed a course
of law enforcement training within two years of his or her date of
appointment. Currently such course must be completed within one year of
his or her date of appointment. Upon completion of more than twenty (20)
years of service and upon retirement, an affected member would receive
one-sixtieth of final average salary for each such year of state univer-
sity police officer service.
In addition this bill makes a technical amendment to reflect that most
current State University police officers are members of the New York
State and local police and fire retirement system due to Chapter 561 of
the laws of 2015.
If this legislation is enacted during the 2017 legislative session, we
anticipate that there will be no additional costs.
Summary of relevant resources:
The membership data used in measuring the impact of the proposed
change was the same as that used in the March 31, 2016 actuarial valu-
ation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the 2016
Report of the Actuary and the 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report.
The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2015
and 2016 Annual Report to the Comptroller on Actuarial Assumptions, and
the Codes Rules and Regulations of the State of New York: Audit and
Control.
The Market Assets and GASB Disclosures are found in the March 31, 2016
New York State and Local Retirement System Financial Statements and
Supplementary Information.
I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and meet the Quali-
fication Standards to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.
This estimate, dated March 28, 2017, and intended for use only during
the 2017 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2017-77, prepared by
the Actuary for the New York State and Local Retirement System.
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.