What's happening
This bill allows two Cobleskill police officers to receive enhanced retirement benefits if the village covers the added costs.
Why it matters
Addresses an administrative error. The bill corrects a situation where two police officers were mistakenly enrolled in a less generous retirement plan, through no fault of their own, ensuring they get the enhanced benefits originally intended.
Limits cost to local government. The village of Cobleskill must choose to cover both the immediate and ongoing increased costs from granting these enhanced benefits, which could affect local budgets and set a precedent for future cases.
Provides a defined process and timeline. The bill requires both the village and the officers to take specific actions within set periods (180 days and 1 year, respectively), ensuring a clear and limited window for these changes.
Potential effect on morale and retention. By allowing these officers to access better retirement terms, the bill could help improve job satisfaction and retention among local law enforcement, signaling support for correcting bureaucratic mistakes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Police Retirement Credit Fix
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S8216A
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.313
- Rules report cal.313
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 8483a
- Amend and recommit to governmental employees
- Referred to governmental employees
- 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.
Police Officers Get Retirement Credit
Signed by Governor · Sponsor James L. Seward
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8483--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
August 7, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees -- recommitted to the Committee on Governmental Employees in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to authorize certain police officers to receive certain service credit under section 384-d of the retirement and social security law
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 to the contrary, Christopher R. Sniffen and Cody N. Whittaker, members of the New York state and local police and fire retirement system, who were appointed as police officers with the village of Cobleskill on July 7, 2014, and who, through no fault of their own, were enrolled to participate in the special twenty-five year retirement plan contained in section 384 of the retirement and social security law, shall be given full credit in the special twenty year retirement plan contained in section 384-d of the retirement and social security law for such service upon the election of the village of Cobleskill to assume the additional cost of such service. The village of Cobleskill may so elect by filing with the state comptroller within 180 days of the effective date of this act, a resolution of its legislative body, together with certification that such police officers did not bar themselves from participation in such retirement plan as a result of their own negligence. Thereafter, such officers may elect to be covered by the provisions of section 384-d of the retirement and social security law, and shall be entitled to the full rights and benefits associated with coverage under such section, by filing a request to this effect with the state comptroller within one year of the effective date of this act.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13305-03-0
A. 8483--A 2
§ 2. All past service costs associated with implementing the provisions of this act shall be borne by the village of Cobleskill and may be amortized over a ten year period.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill will allow the village of Cobleskill to reopen the
provisions of section 384-d of the Retirement and Social Security Law
for police officers Christopher R. Sniffen and Cody N. Whittaker.
If this bill is enacted during the 2020 legislative session, and
Christopher R. Sniffen and Cody N. Whittaker become covered under the
provisions of section 384-d, there will be an increase of approximately
$4,400 in the annual contributions of the village of Cobleskill for the
fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. In future years, this cost will vary
as the billing rates and salary of these police officers change.
In addition to the annual contributions discussed above, there will be
an immediate past service cost of approximately $20,200 which will be
borne by the village of Cobleskill as a one-time payment. This estimate
is based on the assumption that payment will be made on February 1,
2021. If the village of Cobleskill elects to amortize this cost over a
10 year period, the cost for the first year would be approximately
$2,670.
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, 2019 actuarial valu-
ation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the 2019
Report of the Actuary and the 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report.
The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2015,
2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 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, 2019
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 January 2, 2020, and intended for use only during
the 2020 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2020-22, 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.