What's happening
This bill allows retired firefighters to work as fire science instructors without losing or reducing their retirement benefits.
Why it matters
Addresses Firefighter Shortages in Education. By letting retired firefighters teach without losing retirement benefits, the bill encourages experienced professionals to fill instructor roles, potentially improving the quality and availability of fire science education.
Leverages Real-World Expertise. Students in fire science programs may benefit from the practical knowledge and firsthand experience of retired firefighters, which can enhance training and readiness for real-life fire service work.
Removes Financial Disincentives. The change eliminates a key barrier that may have discouraged retired firefighters from teaching (the loss or reduction of benefits), making a second career in education more attractive and feasible for them.
Minimal Fiscal Impact. According to the fiscal note, only a small number of retirees are expected to take advantage of this, meaning the additional cost to the retirement system will be negligible, supporting a targeted policy with limited budgetary risk.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Retired Firefighters Teach
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
9 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to governmental employees
- Referred to governmental employees
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6378
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, PICHARDO, COLTON, BLAKE, STECK, JAFFEE, MONTESANO, RAIA, LAWRENCE, FRIEND -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CRESPO, CROUCH, LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to authorizing retired firefighters to be employed as instructors of fire sciences by a career and technical education center without diminution of his or her retirement benefits
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The retirement and social security law is amended by adding a new section 214-c to read as follows:
§ 214-c. Employment of certain retired persons who retired from fire service. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or the provisions of any state or local law or charter to the contrary, no retired person who retired from fire service as a member of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system or the New York fire department pension fund, and who is employed by a career and technical education center as an instructor in a fire science program approved by the education department, shall have his or her retirement allowance or benefits suspended or reduced because of compensation earned by such retired person from service as a fire science instructor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill will allow retirees from the New York State and Local Police
and Fire Retirement System or the New York City Fire Department Pension
Fund retired from fire service to work as a fire science instructor in a
program approved by the New York State Department of Education and to
continue to receive their retirement benefit.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01456-02-9
A. 6378 2
If this bill is enacted, insofar as it will affect the New York State
and Local Police and Fire Retirement System, we expect few retirees to
be affected. Any additional annual costs will therefore be negligible.
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 judgment of an attorney.
This estimate, dated February 13, 2019, and intended for use only
during the 2019 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2019-76,
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.