NY State Senate Bill 2019-S7805

Senate Bill S7805

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Relates to providing performance of duty disability retirement benefits for certain first responders in Nassau county

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 21, 2020	referred to civil service and pensions

2019-S7805 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10050
Current Committee:: Senate Civil Service And Pensions
Law Section:: Retirement and Social Security Law
Laws Affected:: Add §607-i, R & SS L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: A7115
2017-2018: A7135, A10721
2021-2022: A6492

2019-S7805 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to providing performance of duty disability retirement benefits for the employee titles police medic, police medic supervisor, police medic coordinator, bureau director emergency ambulance, and deputy bureau director emergency ambulance in the employ of Nassau county.

2019-S7805 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7805

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to
providing performance of duty disability retirement benefits for the
employee titles police medic, police medic supervisor, police medic
coordinator, bureau director emergency ambulance, and deputy bureau
director emergency ambulance in the employ of Nassau county

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This legislation provides for a 3/4 performance of duty retirement for
police medic, police medic supervisor, police medic coordinator, bureau
director emergency ambulance, and deputy bureau director emergency ambu-
lance in the employ of Nassau county.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Nassau County Police Medics serve their community countywide, providing

the highest possible quality in pre-hospital advanced life support emer-
gency medical service care. Though rare, it does happen that Nassau
County Police Medics are rendered seriously and permanently disabled due
to injuries sustained in the line of duty.  While such instances occur
infrequently, they are nonetheless devastating to the Medic involved,
their spouses, and their children.

Police Medics respond to and perform work in varying types of situ-
ations, from the scenes of basic medical assistance calls to truly life
threatening emergencies. They respond to calls in all types of places
via ambulance. They perform their duties on active highways, at fire
scenes at the scenes of collapsed buildings, railroad incidents, and
active crime scenes. They also operate as Tactical Medics with the
Nassau County Police Department Bureau of Special Operations. Further,
they sometimes operate as Hazardous Materials Decontamination Techni-
cians.

Though the Medics are well trained, they sometimes encounter the danger-
ous environments described above, as well as dangerous, violent individ-
uals. They are not armed on the job. Their duties as Hazardous Materials
Decontamination Technicians and Tactical Medics are by their nature very
dangerous and can result in serious injury. It should be noted that
Police Officers in Nassau County have a 50% disability benefit.

This bill will provide appropriate protection for Nassau County Police
Medics and their families in the event of a serious on-the-job disable-
ment. It will also rectify the imbalance in protection that currently
exists between the Medics and other, similar first responders.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  S.5133/A. 5324; Veto 274 of 2019.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

$1.87 million in past service costs.  Increase of $280,000 annually.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2019-S7805 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7805
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 21, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  KAPLAN -- 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
   providing  performance  of duty disability retirement benefits for the
   employee titles police medic, police medic  supervisor,  police  medic
   coordinator,  bureau  director  emergency ambulance, and deputy bureau
   director emergency ambulance in the employ of Nassau county
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The retirement and social security law is amended by adding
 a new section 607-i to read as follows:
   §  607-I.  PERFORMANCE  OF  DUTY  DISABILITY  RETIREMENT  BENEFITS FOR
 CERTAIN FIRST RESPONDERS IN NASSAU COUNTY. A. THE COUNTY OF NASSAU SHALL
 MAKE THE BENEFITS PROVIDED HEREIN AVAILABLE TO  THE  FOLLOWING  EMPLOYEE
 TITLES IN THE EMPLOY OF NASSAU COUNTY: POLICE MEDIC; POLICE MEDIC SUPER-
 VISOR;  POLICE  MEDIC  COORDINATOR; BUREAU DIRECTOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE;
 AND DEPUTY BUREAU DIRECTOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE.
   B. A MEMBER SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RETIREMENT FOR DISABILITY INCURRED IN
 THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY IF, AT THE TIME APPLICATION THEREFOR  IS  FILED,
 HE OR SHE IS:
   1. PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY INCAPACITATED FOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTY AS THE
 NATURAL  AND  PROXIMATE  RESULT OF A DISABILITY NOT CAUSED BY HIS OR HER
 OWN WILLFUL NEGLIGENCE SUSTAINED IN SUCH SERVICE AND  WHILE  ACTUALLY  A
 MEMBER OF THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AND
   2.  ACTUALLY  IN  SERVICE  UPON  WHICH HIS OR HER MEMBERSHIP IS BASED.
 HOWEVER, IN THE CASE WHERE A MEMBER IS DISCONTINUED FROM SERVICE, EITHER
 VOLUNTARILY, OR INVOLUNTARILY, SUBSEQUENT TO SUSTAINING A DISABILITY  IN
 SUCH SERVICE, APPLICATION MAY BE MADE NOT LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE
 MEMBER  IS FIRST DISCONTINUED FROM SERVICE; AND PROVIDED THAT THE MEMBER
 MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISION A OF THIS SECTION AND THIS  SUBDI-
 VISION.
   C.  APPLICATION FOR A PERFORMANCE OF DUTY DISABILITY RETIREMENT ALLOW-
 ANCE FOR SUCH A MEMBER MAY BE MADE BY:
   1. SUCH MEMBER; OR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07954-04-0

 S. 7805                             2
 
   2. THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT IN WHICH SUCH MEMBER IS EMPLOYED; OR
   3. ANY PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF AND AUTHORIZED BY SUCH MEMBER.
   D.  1.  AFTER  THE FILING OF SUCH AN APPLICATION, SUCH MEMBER SHALL BE
 GIVEN ONE OR MORE MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS. NO  SUCH  APPLICATION  SHALL  BE
 APPROVED,  HOWEVER, UNLESS THE MEMBER OR SOME OTHER PERSON ON HIS OR HER
 BEHALF SHALL HAVE FILED WRITTEN NOTICE IN THE OFFICE OF THE  COMPTROLLER
 WITHIN NINETY DAYS AFTER THE OCCURRENCE WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR THE DISA-
 BILITY INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY, SETTING FORTH:
   (A) THE TIME WHEN AND THE PLACE OF SUCH OCCURRENCE; AND
   (B) THE PARTICULARS THEREOF; AND
   (C) THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE MEMBER'S INJURIES; AND
   (D) HIS OR HER ALLEGED DISABILITY.
   2. THE NOTICE HEREIN REQUIRED NEED NOT BE GIVEN:
   (A)  IF  THE NOTICE OF SUCH ACCIDENT SHALL BE FILED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
 THE PROVISIONS OF THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION  LAW  OF  ANY  STATE  WITHIN
 WHICH A PARTICIPATING EMPLOYER IN NASSAU COUNTY SHALL HAVE ITS EMPLOYEES
 LOCATED  OR  PERFORMING  FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES WITHIN THE NORMAL SCOPE OF
 THEIR EMPLOYMENT; OR
   (B) IF THE APPLICATION FOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTY  DISABILITY  RETIREMENT
 IS  FILED  WITHIN  ONE YEAR AFTER THE DATE OF THE OCCURRENCE WHICH FORMS
 THE BASIS FOR THE APPLICATION; OR
   (C) IF A FAILURE TO FILE NOTICE HAS BEEN EXCUSED FOR GOOD CAUSE  SHOWN
 AS PROVIDED BY RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE COMPTROLLER.
   E.  IF  THE  COMPTROLLER  DETERMINES  THAT THE MEMBER IS PHYSICALLY OR
 MENTALLY INCAPACITATED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVI-
 SION  B OF THIS SECTION AND OUGHT TO BE RETIRED, SUCH MEMBER SHALL BE SO
 RETIRED. SUCH RETIREMENT SHALL BE EFFECTIVE AS OF A DATE APPROVED BY THE
 COMPTROLLER.
   F. THE ANNUAL RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE PAYABLE UPON RETIREMENT  FOR  DISA-
 BILITY  INCURRED  IN  THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY SHALL BE A PENSION OF ONE-
 HALF OF HIS OR HER FINAL AVERAGE SALARY PLUS AN ANNUITY WHICH  SHALL  BE
 THE  ACTUARIAL  EQUIVALENT OF THE MEMBER'S ACCUMULATED CONTRIBUTIONS, IF
 ANY.
   G. IF THE MEMBER, AT THE TIME OF THE FILING OF  AN  APPLICATION  UNDER
 THE  PROVISION  OF  SUBDIVISION  C  OF  THIS  SECTION, IS ELIGIBLE FOR A
 SERVICE RETIREMENT BENEFIT, THEN AND IN THAT EVENT, HE OR SHE MAY SIMUL-
 TANEOUSLY FILE AN APPLICATION FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT IN ACCORDANCE  WITH
 THE  PROVISION  OF  SECTION  SEVENTY  OF THIS CHAPTER, PROVIDED THAT THE
 MEMBER INDICATES ON THE APPLICATION FOR  SERVICE  RETIREMENT  THAT  SUCH
 APPLICATION  IS  FILED  WITHOUT  PREJUDICE  TO  THE  APPLICATION FOR THE
 RETIREMENT FOR DISABILITY INCURRED IN PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.
   H. ANY BENEFIT PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL NOT BE  CONSID-
 ERED  AS  AN ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY BENEFIT WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION
 SIXTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER.
   I. ANY BENEFIT PAYABLE PURSUANT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAW TO  A
 MEMBER  RECEIVING  A DISABILITY ALLOWANCE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL
 BE IN ADDITION TO SUCH RETIREMENT FOR DISABILITY INCURRED IN PERFORMANCE
 OF DUTY ALLOWANCE.
   J. A FINAL DETERMINATION OF THE COMPTROLLER THAT  THE  MEMBER  IS  NOT
 ENTITLED  TO  RETIREMENT  BENEFITS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL NOT IN
 ANY RESPECT BE, OR CONSTITUTE, A DETERMINATION WITH REGARD  TO  BENEFITS
 PAYABLE PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED SEVEN-C OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL
 LAW.
   § 2. All costs associated with implementing the provisions of this act
 shall be borne by Nassau county.

 S. 7805                             3
 
   §  3.  All  past  costs incurred due to implementing the provisions of
 this act will be borne by Nassau county, and may be amortized over a ten
 year period.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
   FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
   This  bill would grant Nassau County Tier 3, 4, 5 and 6 police medics,
 police medic supervisors, police medic coordinators, emergency ambulance
 bureau directors and deputy  bureau  directors  an  enhanced  disability
 benefit  for  injuries sustained in the performance of duty. The benefit
 for a performance of duty disability would be 50% of final average sala-
 ry.
   It this bill is enacted during the  2020  legislative  session,  there
 will  be  an  estimated increase of approximately $280,000 in the annual
 contributions of Nassau County for the  fiscal  year  ending  March  31,
 2021.
   In addition to the annual contributions discussed above, there will be
 an  immediate  past  service cost of $1.87 million which may be borne by
 Nassau County as a one-time payment.  This  estimate  is  based  on  the
 assumption  that  payment  will  be  made on February 1, 2021. If Nassau
 County elects to amortize this cost over a 10-year period, the cost  for
 the first year would be $247,000.
   These estimated costs are based on 121 members having an annual salary
 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019 of approximately $15 million.
   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, 2019  actuarial  valu-
 ation.    Distributions  and  other  statistics can be found in the 2019
 Report of the  Actuary  and  the  2019  Comprehensive  Annual  Financial
 Report.
   The  actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2015,
 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 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, 2019
 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  February  20,  2020, and intended for use only
 during the  2020  Legislative  Session,  is  Fiscal  Note  No.  2020-61,
 prepared  by  the  Actuary  for  the New York State and Local Retirement
 System.

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