What's happening
This bill allows certain New York State Teachers' Retirement System members to receive service credit for past graduate or teaching assistant work.
Why it matters
Recognizes previously uncredited work. The bill allows long-serving educators to count prior graduate/teaching assistant work (from 1982–1991 at SUNY/state community colleges) toward their pension, acknowledging years of educational service that were previously overlooked.
Potentially increases retirement benefits. By letting members purchase service credit for this work, eligible educators may be able to retire earlier or with higher pension benefits, which could improve financial security for retirees.
Requires member contributions. Members must pay for the additional service credit, with the amount and applicable interest determined by their retirement plan—meaning the benefit isn’t automatic and comes with a financial cost to the individual.
Financial impact on state and employers. The bill could result in increased employer pension costs (estimated at $18,000–$23,200 per credited year, less member payments), raising questions about the fiscal implications for the state and participating institutions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Credit for Past Teaching Service
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 62
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.744
- Print number 5618a
- Amend and recommit to civil service and pensions
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1337
- Referred to civil service and pensions
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 for Assistant Teaching Years
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5618--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 20, 2017
Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions -- recommitted to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT in relation to credit for certain graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant work for the purposes of the New York state teachers' retirement system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, a member of the New York state teachers' retirement system who joined such system on or prior to July 1, 1992, shall be eligible for credit for service, if service was rendered as a graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant during the period July 1, 1982 to September 30, 1991 for a state-operated institution or community college under the jurisdiction of the board of trustees of the state university which participates in such system. Payments for such service shall be made by members subject to article 14 or 15 of the retirement and social security law in accordance with section 609 of such law, in the case of such service rendered prior to such member joining such system, provided the member must be credited with two years of service credit at the time credit for such service is granted. Payments for such service shall be made by members subject to article 14 or 15 of the retirement and social security law in accordance with section 613 of such law, in the case of such service rendered after such member joined such system, together with interest at the rate of five percent per annum from the date such service was rendered to the date of payment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that if this act shall become a law after June 30, 2018 it shall take effect
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06475-05-8
S. 5618--A 2
immediately and be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after June 30, 2018. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
FISCAL NOTE.-- Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would allow active members of the New York State Teachers'
Retirement System with a date of membership on or prior to July 1, 1992
to receive service credit for service rendered as a graduate assistant,
teacher assistant or teaching assistant during the period July 1, 1982
to September 30, 1991 for a state-operated institution or community
college under the jurisdiction of the board of trustees of the state
university which is a participating employer of the New York State
Teachers' Retirement System. Payments for such credit must be made by
those members subject to Article 14 or 15 of the Retirement and Social
Security Law in accordance with section 609 of such law in the case such
service was rendered prior to such member joining the New York State
Teachers' Retirement System provided the member is credited with two
years of service credit at the time credit for such service is granted.
Payments for such credit must be made by those members subject to Arti-
cle 14 or 15 of the Retirement and Social Security Law in accordance
with section 613 of such law in the case such service was rendered after
such member joined the New York State Teachers' Retirement System
together with interest at the rate of five percent per annum from the
date such service was rendered to the date of payment.
It is not possible to determine the total annual cost to the employers
of members of the New York State Teachers' Retirement System since the
total amount of service credit which would be claimed under this bill
cannot be estimated. However, the cost to the employers of members of
the New York State Teachers' Retirement System is estimated to be
$23,200 per year of service credited for Tier 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 members
and $18,000 per year of service credited for Tier 6 members if this bill
is enacted. These costs would be offset by member payments as required
under this bill if enacted.
Member data is from the System's most recent actuarial valuation
files, consisting of data provided by the employers to the Retirement
System. Data distributions and statistics can be found in the System's
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). System assets are as
reported in the System's financial statements, and can also be found in
the CAFR. Actuarial assumptions and methods are provided in the System's
Actuarial Valuation Report.
The source of this estimate is Fiscal Note 2018-8 dated January 22,
2018 prepared by the Actuary of the New York State Teachers' Retirement
System and is intended for use only during the 2018 Legislative Session.
I, Richard A. Young, am the Actuary for the New York State Teachers'
Retirement System. I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries
and I meet the Qualification Standards of the American Academy of Actu-
aries to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act in relation to credit for certain graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant work for the purposes of the New York state teachers' retirement system
Purpose or idea of bill
This bill would allow active members of the Teachers' Retirement System with a date of membership prior to July 1, 1992 who served as a graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant during the period of July 1, 1982 and September 30, 1991 for a state operated institution or community college to purchase and receive retirement credit.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 would allow active members of the Teachers' Retirement System with a date of membership prior to July 1, 1992 who served as a graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant during the period of July 1, 1982 and September 30, 1991 for a state operated institution or community college to purchase and receive retirement credit. Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
A recent change at the NYSTRS allowed for members to be eligible to receive prior service credit for service that preceded their NYSTS date of membership for work as certain graduate assistant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant at a state operated institution or community college. However, this change does not cover an individual who may have already been a member and then was employed as certain graduate assist- ant, teacher assistant or teaching assistant at a state operated insti- tution or community college.
This legislation seeks to correct this unintended interpretation of the law, but allowing the NYSTRS to offer this benefit to both sets of indi- viduals.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
See fiscal note.
Effective
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.