What's happening
This bill grants John J. Trombetta retroactive Tier I status in the New York State Teachers' Retirement System.
Why it matters
Tier I status in the New York State Teachers' Retirement System offers significantly more favorable retirement benefits. (such as earlier retirement age, higher pension payouts, and lower contribution requirements) compared to later tiers like Tier 4. Granting this retroactively to Mr. Trombetta could set a precedent for others seeking similar reclassification based on historical employment eligibility.
The bill requires all costs associated with this special reclassification—including increased pension payouts and refunding prior contributions—to be spread across all employers participating in the retirement system. This means that school districts and other public employers, not just Mr. Trombetta's former employer, would absorb the financial impact, potentially affecting their budgets.
The measure acknowledges administrative or procedural errors ("through no fault of his own") that prevented Mr. Trombetta from joining the more advantageous retirement tier at the time of his original employment. This could open the door for similar claims by other retirees who missed out on historical benefits due to system errors or lack of information, raising questions about fairness and administrative burden.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Restore Teacher’s Pension Status
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 5855a
- Amend and recommit to civil service and pensions
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- 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.
Restore Teacher's Pension Tier
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Employees · Sponsor Gary Finch
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5855--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 3, 2017
Introduced by Sen. DeFRANCISCO -- 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 granting Tier I status in the New York state teachers' retirement system to John J. Trombetta
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, John J. Trombetta, who was employed as an adjunct lecturer at the Bronx community college of the city university of New York commencing at the start of the fall semester of 1972 and was thereby eligible to participate in the New York city teachers' retirement system, and who is currently a retired member of the New York state teachers' retirement system, who through no fault of his own did not become a member of the New York city teachers' retirement system when he was first employed by the Bronx community college of the city university of New York, shall be granted retroactive membership in the New York state teachers' retirement system with Tier I status, if within one year from the effective date of this act he shall make a written application to that effect, duly executed and filed with such retirement system.
§ 2. All costs associated with the implementation of this act shall be borne by the employers of members of the New York state teachers' retirement system.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.-- Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would allow John J. Trombetta, a retired Tier 4 member of
the New York State Teachers' Retirement System, to be reclassified as a
Tier 1 member. His date of membership would be changed based upon his
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00741-06-8
S. 5855--A 2
employment as an adjunct lecturer at the Bronx Community College of the
City University of New York commencing at the start of the fall semester
of 1972. Upon reclassification as a Tier 1 member, Mr. Trombetta's
pension would be recalculated with retroactive adjustment to payments
made since his date of retirement of July 1, 2014. Additionally, he
would be refunded the member contributions he made under Tier 4 as well
as his prior service payments. Mr. Trombetta must file a written request
with the head of the New York State Teachers' Retirement System within
one year of the effective date of this bill.
The cost of this benefit is equal to the increase in the present value
of liabilities, which is estimated to be $110,000. This cost is to be
borne by the employers of members of the New York State Teachers'
Retirement System.
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 2018-24 dated May 4, 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 granting Tier I status in the New York state teachers' retirement system to John J. Trombetta
Purpose or general idea of the bill
To grant retroactive membership in the New York state teachers' retire- ment system with Tier I status.
Summary of specific provisions
To correct John J. Trombetta's tier status in the New York State retire- ment system so that it accurately reflects his teaching record by including his employment at the Bronx community college, which commenced in 1972.
Justification
John J. Trombetta is currently a member of the New York state teacher's retirement system, who through no fault of his own did not become a member of the New York city teachers' retirement system when he was first employed by the Bronx community college of the city university of New York. Such membership would entitle him to Tier I status. This bill is designed to correct that oversight.
Prior legislative history
2017 - Referred to civil service and pensions
Fiscal implications
As per fiscal note, approximately $110,000.00.
Effective date
This act will take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.