What's happening
This bill extends variable supplement fund benefits to all New York City police, firefighters, transit, housing police, correction officers, and their registered domestic partners.
Why it matters
Expands financial security for more families. By including disabled officers, line-of-duty widows/widowers, and registered domestic partners, the bill ensures a broader range of families and survivors receive variable supplement fund (VSF) benefits, potentially improving their financial stability after retirement or the loss of a loved one in service.
Recognizes non-traditional relationships. The explicit inclusion of registered domestic partners means the law acknowledges and supports modern family structures beyond traditional marriage, addressing historic inequities in survivor benefits.
Retroactive protections for current recipients. The bill guarantees that expanding eligibility will not reduce current VSF payments for anyone already receiving them, providing reassurance to beneficiaries that their benefits are protected.
Reduces administrative and legal ambiguity. By clarifying eligibility in statute across all relevant city retirement and pension systems, the legislation aims to simplify administration and reduce disputes over who qualifies for these supplemental payments.
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Expand Benefits for First Responders
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History
- Referred to cities
- Referred to cities
Full text
4 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1444
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to extending the benefits of the variable supplements fund to all New York city police officers, firefighters, housing police, transit police, correction officers and registered domestic partners
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 13-271 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision g to read as follows:
g. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to all police officers who, prior to the effective date of this subdivision, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this subchapter, including all disabled New York city police officers, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other New York city police officers who receive benefits from the New York city police pension fund. All such police officer retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this subchapter pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph (i) of paragraph seven of subdivision a of this section from the effective date of this subdivision. However, nothing in this subdivision shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any police officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
§ 2. Section 13-281 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision g to read as follows:
g. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to all police officers who, prior to the effective date of this subdivision, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this subchapter, including all disabled New York city police
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06142-01-9
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officers, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other retired New York city police officers who receive benefits from the New York city police pension fund. All such retired police officers, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this subchapter pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph (i) of paragraph two of subdivision a of this section from the effective date of this subdivision. However, nothing in this subdivision shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any police officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
§ 3. Section 13-385 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision i to read as follows:
i. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to all firefighters who, prior to the effective date of this subdivision, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this subchapter, including all disabled New York city firefighters, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other retired firefighters who receive benefits from the New York fire department pension fund. All such firefighters, widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and retirees shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this subchapter pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph (i) of paragraph ten of subdivision a of this section from the effective date of this subdivision. However, nothing in this subdivision shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any firefighter or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
§ 4. Section 13-395 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision f to read as follows:
f. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this subchapter shall apply to all firefighters who, prior to the effective date of this subdivision, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this subchapter, including all disabled New York city firefighters, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other firefighters who receive a benefit from the New York fire department pension fund. All such firefighters, widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and retirees shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this subchapter pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph (i) of paragraph two of subdivision a of this section from the effective date of this subdivision. However, nothing in this subdivision shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any firefighter or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
§ 5. Subdivision 4 of section 13-191 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 844 of the laws of 1987, is amended by adding a new paragraph (i) to read as follows:
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this section shall apply to all transit police members who retired as transit police officers, who, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this section, including all disabled transit police members, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other transit police members who retired as transit police officers and who receive benefits from the New York city employees' retirement system. All such transit police officer
S. 1444 3
retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this section pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, from the effective date of this paragraph. However, nothing in this paragraph shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any transit police officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this paragraph.
§ 6. Subdivision 4 of section 13-191 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 846 of the laws of 1987, is amended by adding a new paragraph (i) to read as follows:
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this section shall apply to all housing police members who retired as housing police officers, who, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this section, including all disabled housing police members, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other housing police members who retired as housing police officers and who receive benefits from the New York city employees' retirement system. All such housing police officer retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this section pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, from the effective date of this paragraph. However, nothing in this paragraph shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any housing police officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this paragraph.
§ 7. Subdivision 4 of section 13-192 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 844 of the laws of 1987, is amended by adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this section shall apply to all transit police members who retired as transit police superior officers, who, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this section, including all disabled transit police members, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other transit police members who retired as transit police superior officers and who receive benefits from the New York city employees' retirement system. All such transit police superior officer retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this section pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, from the effective date of this paragraph. However, nothing in this paragraph shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any transit superior police officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this paragraph.
§ 8. Subdivision 4 of section 13-192 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 846 of the laws of 1987, is amended by adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this section shall apply to all housing police members who retired as housing police superior officers, who, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this section, including all disabled housing police members, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other housing police members who retired as housing police superior officers and who receive
S. 1444 4
benefits from the New York city employees' retirement system. All such housing police superior officer retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this section pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, from the effective date of this paragraph. However, nothing in this paragraph shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any housing police superior officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this paragraph.
§ 9. Subdivision 4 of section 13-194 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this section shall apply to all correction officer members who retired as correction officers, who, prior to the effective date of this paragraph, were ineligible for the benefits set forth in this section, including all disabled correction officer members, line of duty widows and widowers, registered domestic partners and all other correction officer members who retired as correction officers and who receive benefits from the New York city employees' retirement system. All such correction officer retirees, widows and widowers and registered domestic partners shall be eligible and are hereby granted all rights and benefits set forth in this section pursuant to the schedule set forth in subparagraph one of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, from the effective date of this paragraph. However, nothing in this paragraph shall serve to cause a reduction in the variable supplement payment to any correction officer or their beneficiary who was eligible for the benefit prior to the effective date of this paragraph.
§ 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to extending the benefits of the variable supplements fund to all New York city police officers, firefighters, housing police, transit police, correction officers and registered domestic partners
Purpose
To extend the benefits of the variable supplements fund to all New York city police officers, firefighters, housing police, transit police, correction officers and their registered domestic partners.
Summary of provisions
This legislation adds subdivision (g) to §§ 13-271 and 13-281 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York which would add all police officers who are ineligible for the variable supplements fund. This includes all disabled and vested New York City police officers and line of duty widows and widowers, and registered domestic partners, who vest- ed in a retirement system prior to the effective date of this subdivi- sion.
Read the full memo (706 words)
The Administrative Code of the City of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision (i) to § 13-385 and subdivision (f) to § 13-395 to add all firefighters who are ineligible for the variable supplement fund. This includes all disabled and vested New York City firefighters and line of duty widows and widowers, and registered domestic partners, who vested in a retirement system prior to the effective date of this subdi- vision.
The Administrative Code of the City of New York is amended by adding a new paragraph (i) to subdivision 4 of § 13-191 and a new paragraph (h) to subdivision 4 of § 13-192 to add all transit police officers who are ineligible for the variable supplement fund. This includes all disabled and vested New York City transit police officers and line of duty widows and widowers, and registered domestic partners, who vested in a retire- ment system prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
The Administrative Code of the City of New York is amended by adding a new paragraph (i) to subdivision 4 of § 13-191 and a new paragraph (h) to subdivision 4 of § 13-192 to add all housing police officers who are ineligible for the variable supplement fund. This includes all disabled and vested New York City housing police officers and line of duty widows and widowers, and registered domestic partners, who vested in a retire- ment system prior to the effective date of this subdivision.
This legislation adds subdivision (h) to § 13-194 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York which would add all correction officer members who are ineligible for the variable supplements fund. This includes all disabled and vested New York City corrections officers and line of duty widows and widowers, and registered domestic partners, who vested in a retirement system prior to the effective date of this subdi- vision.
Existing law
New Law
Justification
The current variable supplement fund is only available to those officers who retire after 20 years of service. Anyone who retired with a disabil- ity pension has been excluded. All retirees should be treated equally, therefore this bill would provide the variable supplement benefit to all retired police officers, firefighters, housing police, transit police and registered domestic partners from the effective date into the future. Former members of the NYC Housing and Transit Police that retired for service after June 30, 1987 presently receive a supplemental benefit from the Variable Supplements Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "VSF"). The VSF was enacted into law as a result of a fact-finders award in 1970 and was granted to members of the NYC Police and Fire pension funds that retired for service after October 1, 1968.
In the mid-1960s members of the Housing and Transit Police were granted and given pay and retirement benefit parity. However, the VSF was not bestowed upon similarly situated members of those two departments until legislation was enacted effective after June 30, 1987, As a matter of equity and fairness, the VSF should be granted to all members of the Housing and Transit Police that retired for service subsequent to Octo- ber 1, 1968.
Legislative history
01/22/16 Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
Fiscal implications
Undetermined
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
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