What's happening
This bill defines "retiree" and "beneficiary" in the Freedom of Information Law and clarifies related nondisclosure provisions.
Why it matters
Provides clear legal definitions for "retiree" and "beneficiary". in the context of public retirement systems, which can help reduce ambiguity and ensure consistency in how these terms are applied under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).
Clarifies nondisclosure protections. , specifying that not only current and former public employees, but also retirees and their beneficiaries, have their home addresses (and, in the case of beneficiaries, names) shielded from mandatory public disclosure—potentially reducing privacy risks for these groups.
Aligns FOIL language with existing retirement law definitions. , making it easier for agencies and courts to interpret and enforce privacy provisions, and ensuring that protections reflect the actual structure of New York’s public retirement systems.
Maintains access rights for employee organizations. , so unions and similar groups can still obtain necessary contact information for members, retirees, and employees, preserving their ability to communicate and represent members while balancing privacy concerns.
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Define Retiree, Beneficiary Terms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.159
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.80
- Reported
- Referred to governmental operations
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.
Define Retiree and Beneficiary Terms
In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Anna Kaplan
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4061
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, PEOPLES-STOKES, GLICK, GALEF, ABINANTI, SEAWRIGHT -- 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.
LBD07130-01-9
A. 4061 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.