Bill Text: NY S04069 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Allows Tier 2, 3 and 4 members of the NYS&LERS and certain other public retirement systems to retire without a benefit reduction due to early retirement upon attainment of age 55 and the completion of 25 years of service.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - REFERRED TO CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS [S04069 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-S04069-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         4069
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     April 8, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sens. FLANAGAN, SEWARD, VOLKER -- 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
         benefits of members subject to article 11 and article  15  who  retire
         prior to the normal retirement age with twenty-five years of service
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Paragraph 1 of subdivision b of section 442 of the  retire-
    2  ment  and  social security law, as amended by chapter 306 of the laws of
    3  1996, is amended to read as follows:
    4    1. A member who is a peace  officer  employed  by  the  unified  court
    5  system  or  a member of a teacher's retirement system or a member of the
    6  New York state and local employees' retirement system OR A MEMBER OF THE
    7  NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OR A MEMBER OF THE  NEW  YORK
    8  CITY  BOARD  OF EDUCATION RETIREMENT SYSTEM may retire without reduction
    9  of his OR HER retirement benefit upon his OR HER attainment of at  least
   10  fifty-five  years  of age and completion of [thirty] TWENTY-FIVE or more
   11  years of service; and
   12    S 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 445-d of  the  retirement
   13  and  social security law, as amended by chapter 509 of the laws of 2001,
   14  is amended to read as follows:
   15    1. In addition to the member contributions required by section  13-125
   16  or  13-162  of the administrative code or section eight or thirty of the
   17  BERS rules and regulations,  each  participant  in  the  age  fifty-five
   18  improved  benefit  retirement  program  shall contribute, subject to the
   19  applicable provisions of section 13-125.2 of the administrative code  or
   20  subdivision  nineteen of section twenty-five hundred seventy-five of the
   21  education law, an additional percentage or additional percentages of his
   22  or her compensation to the retirement system of which he  or  she  is  a
   23  member in accordance with the following schedule:
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00702-03-9
       S. 4069                             2
    1    (i)  (A) each such participant shall contribute an additional four and
    2  thirty-five one-hundredths percent of his  or  her  compensation  earned
    3  from all credited CPP qualifying service (whether or not in a physically
    4  taxing  position)  rendered  on  and  after the starting date of the age
    5  fifty-five   improved  benefit  retirement  program  and  prior  to  the
    6  commencement date of the first payroll period which begins after January
    7  first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight (1) while such person is a  partic-
    8  ipant in such program; and (2) before such person becomes such a partic-
    9  ipant  pursuant to paragraph one or two of subdivision b of this section
   10  (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible position); and  (3)
   11  after such person ceases to be a participant, but before he or she again
   12  becomes  such  a participant pursuant to paragraph five of such subdivi-
   13  sion b (whether or not rendered in a New York city  eligible  position);
   14  and
   15    (B)  each  such  participant  shall  contribute  an additional two and
   16  eighty-five one-hundredths percent of his  or  her  compensation  earned
   17  from all credited CPP qualifying service (whether or not in a physically
   18  taxing  position)  rendered  on  and  after the commencement date of the
   19  first payroll period which begins after January first, nineteen  hundred
   20  ninety-eight  and  prior  to  the commencement date of the first payroll
   21  period which begins subsequent to the effective date  of  [the]  chapter
   22  FIVE  HUNDRED  NINE  of  the laws of two thousand one which amended this
   23  item AND PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT DATE  OF  THE  FIRST  PAYROLL  PERIOD
   24  WHICH  BEGINS  AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINE (1) while such person
   25  is a participant in such program; and (2)  before  such  person  becomes
   26  such  a participant pursuant to paragraph one or two of subdivision b of
   27  this section (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible  posi-
   28  tion);  and (3) after such person ceases to be a participant, but before
   29  he or she again becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph five of
   30  such subdivision b (whether or not rendered in a New York city  eligible
   31  position); and
   32    (C)  each  such  participant  shall  contribute  an additional one and
   33  eighty-five one-hundredths percent of his  or  her  compensation  earned
   34  from all credited CPP qualifying service (whether or not in a physically
   35  taxing  position)  rendered  on  and  after the commencement date of the
   36  first payroll period which begins subsequent to the  effective  date  of
   37  [the]  chapter  FIVE  HUNDRED NINE of the laws of two thousand one which
   38  added this item (1) while such person is a participant in such  program;
   39  and  (2) before such person becomes such a participant pursuant to para-
   40  graph one or two of subdivision  b  of  this  section  (whether  or  not
   41  rendered  in  a  New  York  city  eligible position); and (3) after such
   42  person ceases to be a participant, but before he or  she  again  becomes
   43  such  a  participant  pursuant  to  paragraph five of such subdivision b
   44  (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible position); and
   45    (ii) each such participant who is  employed  in  a  physically  taxing
   46  position  (as  defined  in  paragraph  eleven  of  subdivision a of this
   47  section) shall contribute, in addition to the additional member contrib-
   48  utions required to be made at the percentage of  compensation  specified
   49  in  subparagraph  (i)  of this paragraph for the credited CPP qualifying
   50  service specified in such subparagraph (i), an additional one and  nine-
   51  ty-eight  one-hundredths  percent of his or her compensation earned from
   52  that portion of such credited CPP qualifying service which  is  rendered
   53  in  a  physically  taxing position on and after the starting date of the
   54  age fifty-five improved benefit retirement program (A) while such person
   55  is a participant in such program; and (B)  before  such  person  becomes
   56  such  a participant pursuant to paragraph one or two of subdivision b of
       S. 4069                             3
    1  this section; and (C) after such person ceases to be a participant,  but
    2  before  he or she again becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph
    3  five of such subdivision b.
    4    S 3. Subdivision a of section 603 of the retirement and social securi-
    5  ty  law,  as  amended by section 3 of chapter 19 of the laws of 2008, is
    6  amended to read as follows:
    7    a. The service retirement benefit specified  in  section  six  hundred
    8  four  of this article shall be payable to members who have met the mini-
    9  mum service requirements upon retirement and attainment  of  age  sixty-
   10  two,  other  than  members who are eligible for early service retirement
   11  pursuant to subdivision c of section six hundred four-b of this article,
   12  subdivision c of section  six  hundred  four-c  of  this  article,  SUCH
   13  SECTION  AS  ADDED  BY  CHAPTER  FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO OF THE LAWS OF
   14  NINETEEN HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE,  subdivision  d  of  section  six  hundred
   15  four-d  of  this article, subdivision c of section six hundred four-e of
   16  this article, subdivision c of section six hundred four-f of this  arti-
   17  cle, subdivision c of section six hundred four-g of this article, subdi-
   18  vision  c of section six hundred four-h of this article or subdivision c
   19  of section six hundred four-i of  this  article,  provided,  however,  a
   20  member  who is a peace officer employed by the unified court system or a
   21  member of a teachers' retirement system or the New York state and  local
   22  employees'  retirement system OR THE NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT
   23  SYSTEM OR THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF  EDUCATION  RETIREMENT  SYSTEM  may
   24  retire  without  reduction of his or her retirement benefit upon attain-
   25  ment of at least fifty-five years of  age  and  completion  of  [thirty]
   26  TWENTY-FIVE or more years of service.
   27    S 3-a. Subdivision a of section 603 of the retirement and social secu-
   28  rity  law,  as amended by section 3-a of chapter 19 of the laws of 2008,
   29  is amended to read as follows:
   30    a. The service retirement benefit specified  in  section  six  hundred
   31  four  of this article shall be payable to members who have met the mini-
   32  mum service requirements upon retirement and attainment  of  age  sixty-
   33  two,  other  than  members who are eligible for early service retirement
   34  pursuant to subdivision c of section six hundred four-b of this article,
   35  subdivision c of section  six  hundred  four-c  of  this  article,  SUCH
   36  SECTION  AS  ADDED  BY  CHAPTER  FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO OF THE LAWS OF
   37  NINETEEN HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE,  subdivision  d  of  section  six  hundred
   38  four-d  of  this article, subdivision c of section six hundred four-e of
   39  this article, subdivision c of section six hundred four-f of this  arti-
   40  cle, subdivision c of section six hundred four-g of this article, subdi-
   41  vision  c of section six hundred four-h of this article or subdivision c
   42  of section six hundred four-i  of  this  article  provided,  however,  a
   43  member  who is a peace officer employed by the unified court system or a
   44  member of a teachers' retirement system or the New York state and  local
   45  employees'  retirement system OR THE NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT
   46  SYSTEM OR THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF  EDUCATION  RETIREMENT  SYSTEM  may
   47  retire  without  reduction of his or her retirement benefit upon attain-
   48  ment of at least fifty-five years of  age  and  completion  of  [thirty]
   49  TWENTY-FIVE or more years of service.
   50    S 4. Paragraph 1 of subdivision i of section 603 of the retirement and
   51  social  security  law,  as amended by chapter 19 of the laws of 2008, is
   52  amended to read as follows:
   53    1. A member of a teachers' retirement system or the New York state and
   54  local employees' retirement system  who  has  met  the  minimum  service
   55  requirements but who has less than [thirty] TWENTY-FIVE years of credit-
   56  ed  service  may  retire  prior to normal retirement age, but no earlier
       S. 4069                             4
    1  than attainment of age fifty-five, in which event, unless such person is
    2  a member of the New York city teachers' retirement system who is  other-
    3  wise  eligible for early service retirement pursuant to subdivision c of
    4  section  six  hundred  four-i  of this article, the amount of his or her
    5  retirement benefit  otherwise  computed  without  optional  modification
    6  shall be reduced in accordance with the following schedule:
    7    (i)  for  each  of  the  first twenty-four full months that retirement
    8  predates age sixty-two, one-half of one per centum per month; and
    9    (ii) for each full month that retirement predates age sixty, one-quar-
   10  ter of one per centum per month, but in no  event  shall  retirement  be
   11  permitted prior to attainment of age fifty-five.
   12    S  5.  Paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 604-c of the retirement
   13  and social security law, as amended by chapter 509 of the laws of  2001,
   14  is amended to read as follows:
   15    1.  In  addition  to  the member contributions required by section six
   16  hundred thirteen of this article, each participant in  the  twenty-five-
   17  year  early retirement program shall contribute (subject to the applica-
   18  ble provisions of subdivision d of section six hundred thirteen of  this
   19  article)  an  additional  percentage or additional percentages of his or
   20  her compensation to the retirement system of which he or she is a member
   21  in accordance with the following schedule:
   22    (i) (A) each such participant shall contribute an additional four  and
   23  thirty-five  one-hundredths  percent  of  his or her compensation earned
   24  from all credited service (whether or not in a physically  taxing  posi-
   25  tion)  rendered  on  and after the starting date of the twenty-five-year
   26  early retirement program and prior to the commencement date of the first
   27  payroll period which begins after January first, nineteen hundred  nine-
   28  ty-eight (1) while such person is a participant in such program; and (2)
   29  before  such person becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph one
   30  or two of subdivision b of this section (whether or not  rendered  in  a
   31  New York city eligible position); and (3) after such person ceases to be
   32  a  participant,  but  before  he or she again becomes such a participant
   33  pursuant to paragraph  five  of  such  subdivision  b  (whether  or  not
   34  rendered in a New York city eligible position); and
   35    (B)  each  such  participant  shall  contribute  an additional two and
   36  eighty-five one-hundredths percent of his  or  her  compensation  earned
   37  from  all  credited service (whether or not in a physically taxing posi-
   38  tion) rendered on and after the commencement date of the  first  payroll
   39  period  which  begins after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight
   40  and prior to the commencement date of the  first  payroll  period  which
   41  begins  subsequent  to  the effective date of [the] chapter FIVE HUNDRED
   42  NINE of the laws of two thousand one which amended this item  AND  PRIOR
   43  TO  THE COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE FIRST PAYROLL PERIOD WHICH BEGINS AFTER
   44  JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINE (1) while such person is a participant  in
   45  such  program;  and  (2)  before  such person becomes such a participant
   46  pursuant to paragraph one or  two  of  subdivision  b  of  this  section
   47  (whether  or not rendered in a New York city eligible position); and (3)
   48  after such person ceases to be a participant, but before he or she again
   49  becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph five of  such  subdivi-
   50  sion  b  (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible position);
   51  and
   52    (C) each such participant  shall  contribute  an  additional  one  and
   53  eighty-five  one-hundredths  percent  of  his or her compensation earned
   54  from all credited service (whether or not in a physically  taxing  posi-
   55  tion)  rendered  on and after the commencement date of the first payroll
   56  period which begins subsequent to the effective date  of  [the]  chapter
       S. 4069                             5
    1  FIVE  HUNDRED NINE of the laws of two thousand one which added this item
    2  (1) while such person is a participant in such program; and  (2)  before
    3  such  person becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph one or two
    4  of  subdivision b of this section (whether or not rendered in a New York
    5  city eligible position); and (3)  after  such  person  ceases  to  be  a
    6  participant,  but  before  he  or  she  again becomes such a participant
    7  pursuant to paragraph  five  of  such  subdivision  b  (whether  or  not
    8  rendered in a New York city eligible position); and
    9    (ii)  each  such  participant  who  is employed in a physically taxing
   10  position (as defined in  paragraph  eleven  of  subdivision  a  of  this
   11  section) shall contribute, in addition to the additional member contrib-
   12  utions  required  to be made at the percentage of compensation specified
   13  in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph for the credited service specified
   14  in such subparagraph (i), an additional one  and  ninety-eight  one-hun-
   15  dredths  percent  of his or her compensation earned from that portion of
   16  such credited service which is rendered in a physically taxing  position
   17  on  and after the starting date of the twenty-five-year early retirement
   18  program (A) while such person is a participant in such program; and  (B)
   19  before  such person becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph one
   20  or two of subdivision b of this section; and (C) after such person ceas-
   21  es to be a participant, but before  he  or  she  again  becomes  such  a
   22  participant pursuant to paragraph five of such subdivision b.
   23    (iii)  notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of
   24  this paragraph, a person who becomes a participant in  the  twenty-five-
   25  year  early  retirement  program  provided by this section, who prior to
   26  such membership was subject to the provisions  of  section  six  hundred
   27  four-b  of  this  article,  shall  not be required to pay the additional
   28  member contributions required by subparagraphs  (i)  and  (ii)  of  this
   29  paragraph  for  any  period of credited service before which such person
   30  became a participant pursuant to paragraph one or two of  subdivision  b
   31  of  this  section  and  during which such participant was subject to the
   32  provisions of such section six hundred four-b and no additional employee
   33  contributions were required of such member.
   34    S 6. Paragraph 1 of subdivision f of section 604-d of  the  retirement
   35  and  social security law, as amended by chapter 509 of the laws of 2001,
   36  is amended to read as follows:
   37    1. In addition to the member contributions  required  by  section  six
   38  hundred thirteen of this article, each participant in the age fifty-sev-
   39  en  retirement  program  shall  contribute  (subject  to  the applicable
   40  provisions of subdivision d of section  six  hundred  thirteen  of  this
   41  article)  an  additional  percentage or additional percentages of his or
   42  her compensation to the retirement system of which he or she is a member
   43  in accordance with the following schedule:
   44    (i) (A) each such participant shall contribute an additional four  and
   45  thirty-five  one-hundredths  percent  of  his or her compensation earned
   46  from all credited service (whether or not in a physically  taxing  posi-
   47  tion) rendered prior to the commencement date of the first payroll peri-
   48  od  which  begins after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight (1)
   49  while such person is a participant in such program; and (2) before  such
   50  person  becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph one or three of
   51  subdivision c of this section (whether or not rendered  in  a  New  York
   52  city  eligible position, and whether rendered before or after the enact-
   53  ment date of the age fifty-seven retirement program); and (3) after such
   54  person ceases to be a participant, but before he or  she  again  becomes
   55  such  a  participant  pursuant  to  paragraph five of such subdivision c
   56  (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible position); and
       S. 4069                             6
    1    (B) each such participant  shall  contribute  an  additional  two  and
    2  eighty-five  one-hundredths  percent  of  his or her compensation earned
    3  from all credited service (whether or not in a physically  taxing  posi-
    4  tion)  rendered  on and after the commencement date of the first payroll
    5  period  which  begins after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight
    6  and prior to the commencement date of the  first  payroll  period  which
    7  begins  subsequent  to  the effective date of [the] chapter FIVE HUNDRED
    8  NINE of the laws of two thousand one which amended this item  AND  PRIOR
    9  TO  THE COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE FIRST PAYROLL PERIOD WHICH BEGINS AFTER
   10  JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINE (1) while such person is a participant  in
   11  such  program;  and  (2)  before  such person becomes such a participant
   12  pursuant to paragraph one or three of  subdivision  c  of  this  section
   13  (whether  or not rendered in a New York city eligible position); and (3)
   14  after such person ceases to be a participant, but before he or she again
   15  becomes such a participant pursuant to paragraph five of  such  subdivi-
   16  sion  c  (whether or not rendered in a New York city eligible position);
   17  and
   18    (C) each such participant  shall  contribute  an  additional  one  and
   19  eighty-five  one-hundredths  percent  of  his or her compensation earned
   20  from all credited service (whether or not in a physically  taxing  posi-
   21  tion)  rendered  on and after the commencement date of the first payroll
   22  period which begins subsequent to the effective date  of  [the]  chapter
   23  FIVE  HUNDRED NINE of the laws of two thousand one which added this item
   24  (1) while such person is a participant in such program; and  (2)  before
   25  such  person  becomes  such  a  participant pursuant to paragraph one or
   26  three of subdivision c of this section (whether or not rendered in a New
   27  York city eligible position); and (3) after such person ceases to  be  a
   28  participant,  but  before  he  or  she  again becomes such a participant
   29  pursuant to paragraph  five  of  such  subdivision  c  (whether  or  not
   30  rendered in A New York city eligible position); and
   31    (ii)  each  such  participant  who  is employed in a physically taxing
   32  position (as defined in paragraph eleven of subdivision a of section six
   33  hundred four-c of this article) shall contribute,  in  addition  to  the
   34  additional member contributions required to be made at the percentage of
   35  compensation  specified  in  subparagraph  (i) of this paragraph for the
   36  credited service specified in such subparagraph (i), an  additional  one
   37  and  ninety-eight  one-hundredths  percent  of  his  or her compensation
   38  earned from that portion of such credited service which is rendered in a
   39  physically taxing position (A) while such person  is  a  participant  in
   40  such  program;  and  (B)  before  such person becomes such a participant
   41  pursuant to paragraph one or three of  subdivision  c  of  this  section
   42  (whether  rendered  before or after the enactment date of the age fifty-
   43  seven retirement program); and (C) after such  person  ceases  to  be  a
   44  participant,  but  before  he  or  she  again becomes such a participant
   45  pursuant to paragraph five of such subdivision c.
   46    (iii) notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (i) and (ii)  of
   47  this paragraph, a person who becomes a participant in the age fifty-sev-
   48  en  early retirement program provided by this section, who prior to such
   49  membership was subject to the provisions of section six  hundred  four-b
   50  of  this  article,  shall  not  be required to pay the additional member
   51  contributions required by subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of  this  paragraph
   52  for  any  period  of  credited service before which such person became a
   53  participant pursuant to paragraph one or three of subdivision c of  this
   54  section  and during which such participant was subject to the provisions
   55  of such section six hundred four-b and no additional  employee  contrib-
   56  utions were required of such member.
       S. 4069                             7
    1    S  7.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
    2  have been in full force and effect on and after June 30, 2009; provided,
    3  however, that the amendments to subdivisions a and  i  of  section  603,
    4  paragraph  1 of subdivision d of section 604-c and paragraph 1 of subdi-
    5  vision f of section 604-d of the retirement and social security law made
    6  by  sections  three,  three-a,  four, five and six of this act shall not
    7  affect the expiration of and shall expire on the same date as article 15
    8  of such law, pursuant to section 615 of the retirement and social  secu-
    9  rity law; and provided, further, that the amendments to subdivision a of
   10  section  603  of  the retirement and social security law made by section
   11  three of this act shall be subject to the expiration  and  reversion  of
   12  such  subdivision  pursuant  to section 13 of chapter 682 of the laws of
   13  2003, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of section  three-a
   14  of this act shall take effect.
         FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
         This  bill  would  allow Tier 2, 3 and 4 members of the New York State
       and Local Employees' Retirement System and certain other public  retire-
       ment  systems to retire without a benefit reduction due to early retire-
       ment upon the attainment of age fifty-five (55) and the completion of at
       least twenty-five (25) years of service. It would also amend the employ-
       ee contribution payment schedule for certain members  of  the  New  York
       City Employees' Retirement System who are covered under the Optional Age
       Fifty-Five  Improved  Retirement  Benefit  Program.  This  bill would be
       deemed to be in effect on June 30, 2009.
         Insofar as this bill would affect the New York State and Local Employ-
       ees' Retirement System, if it is enacted, we anticipate that there would
       be  estimated  additional  annual  contributions  of  approximately  $67
       million  to  the  State of New York and $95 million to the participating
       employers in the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System.
         This estimate, dated December 1, 2008 and intended for use only during
       the 2009 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No.  2009-19,  prepared  by
       the  Actuary  for  the  New  York  State and Local Employees' Retirement
       System.
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