What's happening
This bill temporarily prohibits public employers from reducing health insurance benefits or contributions for certain retired public employees.
Why it matters
Protects retired public employees from sudden reductions in health insurance benefits or employer contributions for a one-year period. , providing financial and healthcare stability during that time.
Ensures parity with active employees. by allowing reductions to retirees’ benefits or contributions only if similar changes are made for current workers, preventing retirees from being singled out for cost-saving measures.
Applies broadly to a wide range of public employers. including state and local governments, school districts, public authorities, and other public entities—so the protections cover many types of retirees.
May influence labor relations and budget planning. by temporarily limiting employers’ flexibility to adjust retiree health costs, potentially affecting negotiations and fiscal strategies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Retiree Health Benefits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Referred to civil service and pensions
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2304
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 23, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BRESLIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT in relation to affecting the health insurance benefits and contributions of certain retired public employees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. From on and after May 15, 2019 until May 15, 2020, a public employer shall be prohibited from diminishing the health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and their dependents by such employer unless a corresponding diminution of benefits or contributions is effected from the appropriate level as of May 15, 2018 during this period by such employer from the corresponding group of active employees for such retirees. For the purpose of this act, "public employer" shall mean the following: (i) the state; (ii) a county, city, town or village; (iii) a school district, board of cooperative educational services, vocational education and extension board or a school district as enumerated in section 1 of chapter 566 of the laws of 1967, as amended; (iv) any governmental entity operating a college or university; (v) a public improvement or special district; (vi) a public authority, commission or public benefit corporation; or (vii) any other public corporation, agency, instrumentality or unit of government which exercises governmental power under the laws of this state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after May 15, 2019.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05985-02-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act in relation to affecting the health insurance benefits and contributions of certain retired public employees
Purpose
To protect all public employee retirees from decreases in health insur- ance benefits.
Summary of provisions
The bill would prohibit a public employer from diminishing the health insurance benefits or contributions provided on behalf of retirees and their dependents unless there is a corresponding decrease for active employees during the period between May 15, 2018 and May 15, 2019. A public employer is defined as: (i) the state; (ii) a county, city, town, village; (iii) a school district, a board of cooperative educational services, vocational education and extension board or school district;(iv) any governmental entity operating a college or university; (v) a public improvement or special district; (vi) a public authority, commission or public benefit corporation; or, (vii) any other public corporation, agency, or unit of government which exercises governmental power.
Justification
Public retirees are not represented in the collective bargaining proc- ess. As a result, they have no control over a public employer's decision to decrease their health insurance benefits. The impact of such a unilateral decision can be devastating fora retired person living on a fixed income. The law already provides such protection to school district retirees. It is unfair to deny the same to all other public retirees.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.2688 Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2015-16: S.811 Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2013-14: S.1158 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions
2011-12: S.916A Remained in the Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions
2009-10: S.380 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions
2007-08: S.720 Remained in Senate Committee on Civil Service & Pensions
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately and deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after May 15, 2018.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.