What's happening
This bill allows counties to provide deputy sheriffs with increased accidental disability pensions of three-quarters of their final average salary.
Why it matters
Raises potential recruitment and retention. Enhanced disability pensions for deputy sheriffs could make these positions more attractive, helping counties recruit and retain qualified law enforcement personnel in a competitive job market.
Financial impact on counties. Counties that choose to provide this increased benefit will see a small increase in their annual pension contributions (estimated at 0.3% of deputy sheriff compensation, plus a one-time cost of 0.9%), which could influence local budget decisions.
Local control and flexibility. The bill is permissive, allowing each county to decide whether to adopt the enhanced benefit, enabling local governments to tailor benefits to their workforce needs and financial capacity.
Greater support for injured officers. Raising the accidental disability pension provides stronger financial protection for deputy sheriffs who are injured on duty, recognizing the physical risks they face and potentially reducing financial stress for affected individuals and their families.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Disability Pay for Deputies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to governmental employees
- 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.
Increase Disability Pensions for Deputies
In Senate Committee · Civil Service And Pensions · Sponsor Andrew Gounardes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5020
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABBATE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to accidental disability retirement for deputy sheriffs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 3 of subdivision e of section 556 of the retirement and social security law, as added by chapter 165 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
3. A pension of two-thirds of his or her final average salary; provided, however, a deputy sheriff shall receive a pension of threequarters of his or her final average salary if such deputy sheriff is employed by an employer that has elected to provide such benefit to deputy sheriffs. The payment of such pension shall be subject to the provisions of section [three hundred] sixty-four of this chapter.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.-- Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would allow employers to elect to provide improved acci-
dental disability pensions to deputy sheriffs who are covered by the
provisions of Article 14-B of the Retirement and Social Security Law.
The benefit for an accidental disability would be three-quarters of
final average salary minus worker's compensation. The current benefit is
two-thirds of final average salary minus worker's compensation.
If this bill is enacted, the estimated increase in the annual contrib-
utions of electing counties would be 0.3% of the compensation of their
deputy sheriffs for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020.
In addition to the annual contributions discussed above, there will be
a past service cost of 0.9% of the compensation of such deputy sheriffs
which will be paid by such electing counties as a one-time payment. This
estimate is based on the assumption that payment will be made on Febru-
ary 1, 2020.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08061-02-9
A. 5020 2
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, 2018 actuarial valu-
ation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the 2018
Report of the Actuary and the 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report.
The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2015,
2016, 2017 and 2018 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, 2018
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 fiscal note does not constitute a legal opinion on the viability
of the proposed change nor is it intended to serve as a substitute for
the professional judgement of an attorney.
This estimate is dated January 29, 2019, and intended for use only
during the 2019 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2019-44,
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.