S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6537
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
May 5, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. REICHLIN-MELNICK -- (at request of the New York State
Teachers' Retirement System) -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and
Pensions
AN ACT to amend the education law, the retirement and social security
law, the administrative code of the city of New York, and chapter 666
of the laws of 1990, amending the administrative code of the city of
New York and the education law relating to the availability of addi-
tional pension benefits, in relation to the transfer of reserves
between public retirement systems of the state for certain members
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 522 of the education law, as
amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as
follows:
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, except
for the purposes of providing the benefits, if any, of subdivision four
of this section, with respect to transfers pursuant to this section
which occur on or after the effective date of THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED this subdivision, no transfer of a
pension reserve pursuant to subdivision one or two of this section shall
be required when the member is transferring from a public [employee]
retirement system of [this] THE state [to any other public employee
retirement system of this state] WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED
SERVICE WITH THE TRANSFERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER
IS INITIATED. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OR
TWO OF THIS SECTION WHICH OCCUR ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE
CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS SUBDI-
VISION, THE TRANSFER OF A PENSION RESERVE SHALL BE REQUIRED WHEN THE
MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM A
PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THIS STATE TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIREMENT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11221-01-1
S. 6537 2
SYSTEM OF THIS STATE. For the purpose of giving the transferring member
such status and crediting such service in the retirement system to which
the member is transferring as such member was allowed in the retirement
system from which the member has transferred, the transfer shall be
deemed complete upon receipt by the transferee retirement system of (a)
a statement from the transferor retirement system of the transferring
member's date of membership in the transferor retirement system, tier
status, service credited to the transferred membership, and such other
information as the transferee retirement system may require to effectu-
ate the transfer, [and] (b) such member's accumulated contributions from
the transferor retirement system, if same had not been previously with-
drawn, or notice from the transferor retirement system that such member
had no accumulated contributions, or notice from the transferor retire-
ment system that such member's accumulated contributions had been with-
drawn and the amount thereof and, as applicable, receipt from such
member of such member's accumulated contributions and interest, AND (C)
THE PENSION RESERVE IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO TRANSFERS IN TEN OR MORE
YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE.
§ 2. Subdivision k of section 43 of the retirement and social security
law, as amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as
follows:
k. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any member of
the New York state and local employees' retirement system or the New
York city teachers' retirement system who retired from service from
either the New York city employees' retirement system or the New York
city board of education retirement system as a member of the career
pension plan maintained by such system and who, but for the fact that he
or she retired, would be eligible for transfer and who has not, in fact,
received a pension payment from such system shall be permitted to trans-
fer his or her retirement system membership pursuant to the provisions
of this section. In such event, the application for retirement shall be
deemed to have been rescinded and the retirement system from which the
service shall be transferred shall transfer the appropriate reserves as
provided by this section, provided, however, that with respect to trans-
fers pursuant to this subdivision which occur on or after [the twenty-
sixth day of October, two thousand four] THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAP-
TER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS
SUBDIVISION, except for the purposes of providing the benefits, if any,
of subdivision four of section five hundred twenty-two of the education
law, no determination of a reserve pursuant to subdivision c of this
section or transfer thereof pursuant to the first sentence of subdivi-
sion d of this section shall be required in the case of any transfer
pursuant to this subdivision WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED
SERVICE WITH THE TRANSFERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER
IS INITIATED. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHICH
OCCUR ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TRANSFER OF A
PENSION RESERVE SHALL BE REQUIRED WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR
MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE
STATE TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE. Notwithstand-
ing the provision of this subdivision or any other provision of law, an
individual who transfers pursuant to this subdivision shall not be
required to render any minimum period of service following transfer in
order to be eligible to receive the full benefit provided hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a retiree covered by either the career
pension plan or the fifty-five-year-increased-service-fraction plan who
S. 6537 3
has received a pension payment or payments from such system shall be
eligible for the provisions of this subdivision upon payment, to the
retirement system from which the pension payment or payments were made,
of an amount equal to such pension payment or payments. After such
payments AND THE PENSION RESERVE, IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO TRANSFERS
IN TEN OR MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE, are received, such person
shall be permitted to transfer his or her retirement system membership
pursuant to the provisions of this section.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 43 of the retirement and social security
law, as amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as
follows:
l. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, with
respect to transfers pursuant to this section which occur on or after
[the twenty-sixth day of October, two thousand four] THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS
SUBDIVISION, except for the purposes of providing the benefits, if any,
of subdivision four of section five hundred twenty-two of the education
law, no determination of a reserve pursuant to subdivision c of this
section or transfer thereof pursuant to the first sentence of subdivi-
sion d of this section shall be required in the case of any transfer
pursuant to this section WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE
WITH THE TRANSFERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER IS
INITIATED. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHICH
OCCUR ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TRANSFER OF A
PENSION RESERVE SHALL BE REQUIRED WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OF
MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE
STATE TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE. For the
purpose of giving the transferring member such status and crediting such
service in the second retirement system as such member was allowed in
the first retirement system in those cases to which this subdivision
shall apply, the transfer shall be deemed complete upon receipt by the
second retirement system of:
1. a statement from the first retirement system of the transferring
member's date of membership in the first retirement system, tier status,
service credited to such membership being transferred, and such other
information as the second retirement system may require to effectuate
the transfer; [and]
2. such member's accumulated contributions from the first retirement
system, if same had not been previously withdrawn, or notice from the
first retirement system that such member had no accumulated contrib-
utions, or notice from the first retirement system that such member's
accumulated contributions had been withdrawn and the amount thereof and,
as applicable, receipt from such member of such member's accumulated
contributions and interest; AND
3. THE PENSION RESERVE IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO TRANSFERS IN TEN OR
MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE.
§ 4. Subdivision h of section 343 of the retirement and social securi-
ty law, as amended by chapter 533 of the laws of 2015, is amended to
read as follows:
h. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, with
respect to transfers pursuant to this section which occur on or after
the effective date of THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
THAT AMENDED this subdivision, no determination of a reserve pursuant to
subdivision c of this section or transfer thereof pursuant to the first
sentence of subdivision d of this section shall be required in the case
S. 6537 4
of any transfer pursuant to this section (other than a transfer from the
New York state and local police and fire retirement system to either (1)
the New York city police department subchapter two pension fund, (2) the
New York city fire department subchapter two pension fund or (3) the MTA
police retirement program or a transfer from either (i) the New York
city police department subchapter two pension fund or (ii) the New York
city fire department subchapter two pension fund to either (A) the New
York state and local police and fire retirement system or (B) the MTA
police retirement program or a transfer from the MTA police retirement
program to the New York state and local police and fire retirement
system) IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED
SERVICE WITH THE TRANSFERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER
IS INITIATED. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO SUCH SUBDIVISIONS
WHICH OCCUR ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TRANSFER OF A
PENSION RESERVE SHALL BE REQUIRED WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR
MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE
STATE TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE. For the
purpose of giving the transferring member such status and crediting such
service in the second retirement system as such member was allowed in
the first retirement system in those cases to which this subdivision
shall apply, the transfer shall be deemed complete upon receipt by the
second retirement system of:
1. a statement from the first retirement system of the transferring
member's date of membership in the first retirement system, tier status,
service credited to such membership being transferred, and such other
information as the second retirement system may require to effectuate
the transfer; [and]
2. such member's accumulated contributions from the first retirement
system, if same had not been previously withdrawn, or notice from the
first retirement system that such member had no accumulated contrib-
utions, or notice from the first retirement system that such member's
accumulated contributions had been withdrawn and the amount thereof and,
as applicable, receipt from such member of such member's accumulated
contributions and interest; AND
3. THE PENSION RESERVE IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO TRANSFERS IN TEN OR
MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE.
§ 5. Paragraph 4 of subdivision a of section 13-143 of the administra-
tive code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 647 of the laws
of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph two of this subdivi-
sion, with respect to transfers pursuant to this section which occur on
or after the effective date of THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED this paragraph, the actuary of the New York city
employees' retirement system shall not be required to determine the
reserve on the benefits allowable to the transferring member as the
result of employer contributions, including the reserve-for-increased-
take-home-pay, and the transfer of such reserve, including the reserve-
for-increased-take-home-pay, from the New York city employees' retire-
ment system to said police pension fund [shall not be required] WHEN A
MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE WITH
THE TRANSFERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER IS INITI-
ATED. WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION WHICH OCCUR
ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOU-
SAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TRANSFER OF A PENSION
RESERVE SHALL BE REQUIRED WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR MORE
S. 6537 5
YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE
TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE. The New York city
employees' retirement system, within one year from the date of the
request for the transfer of credit, shall comply with all requirements
for completing the transfer imposed on it by the provisions of this
section, INCLUDING THE PENSION RESERVE IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO
TRANSFERS TEN OR MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE. Nothing set forth in
this paragraph shall be deemed to modify the requirement set forth in
paragraph two of this subdivision that the New York city employees'
retirement system transfer to said police pension fund the accumulated
deductions of such member.
§ 6. Paragraph 4 of subdivision a of section 13-144 of the administra-
tive code of the city of New York, as added by chapter 647 of the laws
of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph two of this subdivi-
sion, with respect to transfers pursuant to this section which occur on
or after the effective date of THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED this paragraph, the actuary of the New York city
employees' retirement system shall not be required to determine the
reserve on the benefits allowable to the transferring member as the
result of employer contributions, including [the reserve-for-increased-
take-home-pay, and] the transfer of such reserve[, including] AND the
reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay[,] from the New York city employees'
retirement system to said fire department pension fund [shall not be
required], WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM THE TRANS-
FERRING RETIREMENT SYSTEM AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSFER IS INITIATED.
WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHICH OCCUR ON OR
AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TRANSFER OF A PENSION
RESERVE PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH TWO OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE REQUIRED
WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR MORE YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE
FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE TO ANY OTHER PUBLIC RETIRE-
MENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE. The New York city employees' retirement
system, within one year from the date of the request for the transfer of
credit, shall comply with all requirements for completing the transfer
imposed on it by the provisions of this section, INCLUDING THE PENSION
REVERSE IN THE CASE OF A MEMBER WHO TRANSFERS TEN OR MORE YEARS OF
MEMBER SERVICE CREDIT. Nothing set forth in this paragraph shall be
deemed to modify the requirement set forth in paragraph two of this
subdivision that the New York city employees' retirement system transfer
to said fire department pension fund the accumulated deductions of such
member.
§ 7. Subdivision d of section 3 of chapter 666 of the laws of 1990,
amending the administrative code of the city of New York and the educa-
tion law relating to the availability of additional pension benefits for
an extended second public employment to certain retirees, as added by
chapter 647 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision b of this section or
any other provision of law to the contrary, with respect to transfers
pursuant to this section which occur on or after the effective date of
THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE THAT AMENDED this
subdivision, no determination or transfer of the reserve on the benefits
allowable to the transferring member as the result of employer contrib-
utions, including the reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay, shall be
required FOR A MEMBER WITH LESS THAN TEN YEARS OF CREDITED SERVICE FROM
THE TRANSFERRING SYSTEM AT THE TIME THE TRANSFER IS INITIATED. WITH
S. 6537 6
RESPECT TO TRANSFERS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WHICH OCCUR ON OR AFTER
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
THAT AMENDED THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TRANSFER OF A PENSION RESERVE SHALL
BE REQUIRED WHEN THE MEMBER IS TRANSFERRING TEN OR MORE YEARS OF CREDIT-
ED SERVICE FROM A PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THIS STATE TO ANY OTHER
PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE.
§ 8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to any
covered membership transfer initiated on or after the effective date of
this act; provided, however, that no provision of this act shall affect
the transfer of reserves required with respect to transfers between any
two of the New York state and local police and fire department system,
the New York city police department subchapter two pension fund and the
New York city fire department subchapter two pension fund and with
respect to transfers from the New York state and local police and fire
retirement system to the metropolitan transportation authority police
pension fund.
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would amend Section 522 of the Education Law and various
sections of the Retirement and Social Security Law and the Administra-
tive Code of the City of New York to reinstate the transfer of pension
reserves in cases in which a member of the New York State Teachers'
Retirement System (NYSTRS) or any Retirement System of the State or City
of New York transfers a membership with ten or more years of credited
service at the time the transfer is initiated. This act shall take
effect immediately and shall apply to any membership transfer initiated
on or after the effective date of this act.
It is estimated that there will be no additional annual cost to the
employers of members of the NYSTRS if this bill is enacted. In fact,
this bill will greatly increase equity between the retirement systems of
the state by ensuring that a member who transfers with a significant
liability will bring with him or her the pension reserve accumulated by
the prior retirement system in order to offset the liability assumed by
the new retirement system. Member data is from the System's most recent
actuarial valuation files, consisting of data provided by the employers
to the Retirement System. Data distributions and statistics can be found
in the System's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). System
assets are as reported in the System's financial statements and can also
be found in the CAFR. Actuarial assumptions and methods are provided in
the System's Actuarial Valuation Report.
The source of this estimate is Fiscal Note 2021-4 dated October 19,
2020 prepared by the Actuary of the New York State Teachers' Retirement
System and is intended for use only during the 2021 Legislative Session.
I, Richard A. Young, am the Actuary for the New York State Teachers'
Retirement System. I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries
and I meet the Qualification Standards of the American Academy of Actu-
aries to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.