What's happening
This bill extends "heart bill" disability retirement benefits to SUNY police officers in the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System.
Why it matters
Recognizes health risks for SUNY police officers. By including SUNY police in the "heart bill" provision, the legislation acknowledges that university police face similar on-the-job cardiac risks as other police officers and firefighters, expanding recognition and protection for their service.
Eases access to disability benefits for heart conditions. The change means that if a SUNY police officer develops a heart-related disability and had a clear pre-employment physical, the disability is presumed to be work-related, making it significantly easier for affected officers to qualify for performance-of-duty disability retirement benefits.
Promotes parity and fairness among law enforcement. Extending this benefit to SUNY police addresses a previous gap, ensuring that all police officers in the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System—regardless of specific agency—have equal access to these crucial protections.
Minimal fiscal impact predicted. According to the fiscal note, the measure is expected to have negligible additional costs, suggesting that while it improves benefits and protections for a specific group, it does so without placing a significant new financial burden on the retirement system or taxpayers.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Protect SUNY Police Heart Health
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Vetoed memo.265
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.84
- Substituted for A5301
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–1
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.522
Show 1 earlier action
- Referred to civil service and pensions
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.
Cover SUNY Police Heart Disease
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3841
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 19, 2019
Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to certain disabilities of university police officers appointed by the state university of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 363-a of the retirement and social security law, as amended by chapter 437 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
3. As used in this section, the terms "firefighter" and "police officer" mean any member who is performing police or fire service, as the phrase police or fire service is defined in paragraphs a, b, c, d, f (as added by chapter six hundred seventy-four of the laws of nineteen eighty-six), f (as added by chapter six hundred seventy-seven of the laws of nineteen eighty-six), g, h, i and j of subdivision eleven of section three hundred two of this article, and who, prior to entry into service as a firefighter or police officer, successfully passed a physical examination which failed to disclose evidence of any disease or other impairment of the heart.
§ 2. The amendments to section 363-a of the retirement and social security law made by section one of this act shall not affect, impair, or invalidate any temporary right, privilege, or benefit conferred pursuant to the provisions of a general, special or local law (other than pursuant to articles 14 and 15 of the retirement and social security law) for any member of a public retirement system or pension plan funded by the state or one of its political subdivisions, nor shall any amendments thereto affect the application of such provisions as extended by the provisions of section 480 of the retirement and social security law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08624-02-9
S. 3841 2
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill is a technical correction to Chapter 561 of the Laws of
2015. It would add a "heart bill" performance of duty disability
provision for police officers of the State University of New York who
are members of the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement
System.
If this bill is enacted, it could lead to more disabilities being
classified as "performance of duty". We anticipate that few performance
of duty disability retirements will be granted, and thus, the resulting
costs will 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 January 31, 2019, and intended for use only
during the 2019 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2019-45,
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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to certain disabilities of university police officers appointed by the state university of New York
Purpose or general idea of bill
To grant eligibility for the presumption regarding impairment caused by heart disease as a performance of duty disability provision applicable to university police officers appointed by the State University of New York.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends section 363-a of the Retirement and Social Security Law to include university police officers appointed by the state univer- sity of New York in the definition of police officer for the purposes of disability benefits.
Section two states that amendments made to section 363-a by this act do not affect the application of such provisions as extended by the provisions of section 480 of the retirement and social security law.
Section three provides that this act shall take effect immediately.
Existing law
Currently, university police officers appointed by the State University of New York are not eligible for the performance of duty disability provision relating to the presumption of impairment caused by heart disease.
Justification
University Police Officers appointed by the State University of New York perform duties which are as stressful and physically demanding as other police officers and firefighters. This bill will provide University Police Officers with the same benefit as pertaining to a heart presump- tion as is provided other police officers.
Prior legislative history
2018: S.4634-A - Vetoed No. 352 2017: S.4634 Passed the Senate
Fiscal implications
See Fiscal Note.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.