What's happening
This bill allows employers to offer deputy sheriffs an increased accidental disability pension of three-quarters of final average salary.
Why it matters
Enhances financial security for deputy sheriffs. By increasing the accidental disability pension from two-thirds to three-quarters of final average salary, the bill provides greater income protection for deputy sheriffs who suffer disabling injuries on the job.
Allows for local control and flexibility. Employers (such as counties) can choose whether to adopt this increased benefit for their deputy sheriffs, making it an opt-in provision rather than a statewide mandate.
Potential local budget impact. Counties that elect this benefit will see a modest rise in pension contribution costs—estimated at 0.3% of deputy sheriff compensation annually, plus a one-time past service cost of 0.9%—which could affect local budgets and taxpayer spending.
May influence recruitment and retention. The prospect of a more generous disability pension could help counties attract and retain qualified deputy sheriffs, particularly given the risks associated with law enforcement work.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Disability Pensions for Deputies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.749
- 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.
Boost Disability Pay for Deputies
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Employees · Sponsor Peter Abbate
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3964
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 22, 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 accidental disability retirement for deputy sheriffs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 3 of subdivision e of section 556 of the retirement and social security law, as added by chapter 165 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
3. A pension of two-thirds of his or her final average salary; provided, however, a deputy sheriff shall receive a pension of threequarters of his or her final average salary if such deputy sheriff is employed by an employer that has elected to provide such benefit to deputy sheriffs. The payment of such pension shall be subject to the provisions of section [three hundred] sixty-four of this chapter.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.-- Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would allow employers to elect to provide improved acci-
dental disability pensions to deputy sheriffs who are covered by the
provisions of Article 14-B of the Retirement and Social Security Law.
The benefit for an accidental disability would be three-quarters of
final average salary minus worker's compensation. The current benefit is
two-thirds of final average salary minus worker's compensation.
If this bill is enacted, the estimated increase in the annual contrib-
utions of electing counties would be 0.3% of the compensation of their
deputy sheriffs for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020.
In addition to the annual contributions discussed above, there will be
a past service cost of 0.9% of the compensation of such deputy sheriffs
which will be paid by such electing counties as a one-time payment. This
estimate is based on the assumption that payment will be made on Febru-
ary 1, 2020.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08061-02-9
S. 3964 2
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 judgement of an attorney.
This estimate is dated January 29, 2019, and intended for use only
during the 2019 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2019-44,
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 accidental disability retirement for deputy sheriffs
Purpose
To provide the option for employers to provide an accidental disability retirement benefit for deputy sheriffs in the amount of three-quarters of the deputy sheriff's final average salary.
Summary of provisions
Section one of this bill amends Retirement and Social Security Law section 556(a)(3) to provide employers with the ability to offer a 3/4 accidental retirement benefit for deputy sheriffs.
Section two of this bill provides that this act shall take effect imme- diately.
Justification
Currently, a deputy sheriff is entitled to an accidental disability retirement of two-thirds of his or her final average salary. Most other police officers and paid firefighters throughout NYS are entitled to an accidental disability retirement of three-quarters. Deputy Sheriffs are classified as police officers pursuant to the section 1.20 of the Crimi- nal Procedure Law. Deputies attend that same police academies and perform the same dangerous work as their fellow police officers. This bill is needed to provide parity with majority of police and paid fire- fighters throughout New York State.
Legislative history
2018: S.8066 - Vetoed; Memo No. 366
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
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.