What's happening
This bill allows Scott Goodfellow to receive retroactive Tier IV pension status in the New York state and local employees' retirement system due to an administrative error.
Why it matters
Corrects an administrative error. that would have otherwise placed Scott Goodfellow in a more advantageous pension tier (Tier IV), which typically offers better benefits and lower employee contributions compared to Tier V.
Sets a precedent for addressing individual pension disputes. caused by administrative mistakes, potentially opening the door for similar cases from other public employees who faced errors during their initial retirement system enrollment.
Shifts some financial responsibility to local government. (St. Lawrence County), which must cover a one-time “past service cost” payment of about $2,850, reflecting the financial impact on local budgets when addressing such corrections.
Does not provide a refund of previous contributions. , meaning Scott Goodfellow will not be reimbursed for any higher contributions already made under Tier V, so the remedy is limited to status and future benefits rather than retroactive compensation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Restore Tier IV for Goodfellow
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Vetoed memo.370
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.416
- Substituted for A10684
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.1959
Show 2 earlier actions
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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 Goodfellow’s Pension Tier
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Addie Jenne
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8276
IN SENATE
April 26, 2018
Introduced by Sen. GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT granting retroactive tier IV membership in the New York state and local employees' retirement system to Scott Goodfellow
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, Scott Goodfellow, a member of the New York state and local employees' retirement system, who was employed on December 28, 2009, by the county of St. Lawrence department of corrections, and who filed membership application in such system on December 28, 2009, which should have given him Tier IV status but for reasons not ascribable to his own negligence and due to an administrative error, the application was not processed in the usual manner and therefore not processed until January 4, 2010, may be deemed to have become a member of the New York state and local employees' retirement system on December 28, 2009, if within one year from the date this act shall have become a law he shall file an application therefor with the state comptroller. Upon the receipt of such application, Scott Goodfellow shall be granted Tier IV status in the New York state and local employees' retirement system and be eligible for all the rights and benefits thereof. No contributions made to the New York state and local employees' retirement system by Scott Goodfellow shall be returned to him pursuant to this act.
§ 2. Any past service costs incurred in implementing the provisions of this act shall be borne by the county of St. Lawrence.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill will grant retroactive Tier 4 status in the New York State
and Local Employees' Retirement System to Scott R. Goodfellow, a current
Tier 5 member employed by the NYS Power Authority, by changing his date
of membership to December 28, 2009, his first date of employment with
the county of St. Lawrence department of corrections. There will be no
refund of member contributions.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02564-03-8
S. 8276 2
If this bill is enacted during the 2018 legislative session, there
will be an increase of approximately $2,300 in the annual contributions
of the NYS Power Authority for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019. In
future years, this cost will vary as the billing rates and salaries of
Scott R. Goodfellow change.
In addition to the annual contributions discussed above, there will be
an immediate past service cost of approximately $2,850 which will be
borne by the county of St. Lawrence as a one-time payment. This esti-
mate is based on the assumption that payment will be made on February 1,
2019.
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, 2017 actuarial valu-
ation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the 2017
Report of the Actuary and the 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report.
The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2015,
2016, and 2017 Annual Report to the Comptroller on Actuarial Assump-
tions, 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, 2017
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 April 23, 2018, and intended for use only during
the 2018 Legislative Session, is Fiscal No. 2018-87, 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act granting retroactive tier IV membership in the New York state and local employees' retirement system to Scott Goodfellow
Purpose
Scott Goodfellow was employed on December 28, 2009, by the county of St. Lawrence Department of Corrections and filed retirement membership applications that day which should have given him Tier IV status. Howev- er, due to an administrative error the application was not processed until January 4, 2010, giving him Tier V status.
Summary of provisions
Section one allows Scott Goodfellow to become a member of the NY state and local employees' retirement system on December 28, 2009, if he files an application with the state Comptroller's office within one year of this act becoming law. This will give him Tier 4 status in the NY state and local employees' retirement system.
Section two provides that the county of St. Lawrence will pay for the costs of implementing this bill. Section three is the effective date.
Justification
An administrative error should not strip Scott Goodfellow from his Tier IV benefits.
Legislative history
2017 - S. 4450/A. 5194 - Vetoed. 2016 - S. 6743 - Passed Senate/A. 9059a - Governmental Employees Commit- tee.
Fiscal implications
Scott Goodfellow is currently a Tier 5 member employed by the Power Authority. If this legislation is enacted, there will be an approximate increase of $2,300 per year in the annual contributions by the Power Authority. In future years, the cost will vary as the billing rates and salaries of Scott Goodfellow change. In addition, there will be a one- time past service cost of $2,850 to be paid by St. Lawrence County.
Effective date
Immediate.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.