S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10524
I N A S S E M B L Y
June 2, 2024
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A.
Pheffer Amato) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Govern-
mental Employees
AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, the education
law, the public authorities law and the administrative code of the
city of New York, in relation to extending the coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) benefit for public employee death benefits; and to
amend chapter 78 of the laws of 2021, amending the retirement and
social security law and other laws relating to establishing a corona-
virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) benefit for public employee death bene-
fits, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph 3 of subdivision a of section 61-b of the retire-
ment and social security law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of
2022, is amended to read as follows:
3. Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph two of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 2. Paragraph 3 of subdivision a of section 361-b of the retirement
and social security law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of 2022,
is amended to read as follows:
3. Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph two of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15816-01-4
A. 10524 2
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 3. Paragraph 3 of subdivision a of section 509-a of the retirement
and social security law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of 2022,
is amended to read as follows:
3. Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph two of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 4. Paragraph 3 of subdivision a of section 607-i of the retirement
and social security law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of 2022,
is amended to read as follows:
3. Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph two of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 5. Subparagraph (C) of paragraph 1 of subdivision h of section 512
of the education law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of 2022, is
amended to read as follows:
(C) such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 6. Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 26 of section
2575 of the education law, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of
2022, is amended to read as follows:
(iii) such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 7. Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 8 of section
1266-h of the public authorities law, as amended by chapter 783 of the
laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(iii) Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
A. 10524 3
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 8. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 13-149.1 of the admin-
istrative code of the city of New York, as amended by chapter 783 of the
laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph (b) of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 9. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 13-244.1 of the admin-
istrative code of the city of New York, as amended by chapter 783 of the
laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph (b) of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 10. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 13-347.1 of the admin-
istrative code of the city of New York, as amended by chapter 783 of the
laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph (b) of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
§ 11. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 13-544.1 of the admin-
istrative code of the city of New York, as amended by chapter 783 of the
laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Such member died on or before [December] JULY thirty-first, two
thousand [twenty-four] TWENTY-FIVE, and COVID-19 caused or contributed
to such member's death, as documented on such member's death certif-
icate, or as certified by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physi-
cian's assistant described in paragraph (b) of this subdivision who
determines with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that COVID-19
caused or contributed to the member's death, such member's statutory
beneficiary shall receive an accidental death benefit, unless such stat-
utory beneficiary elects to receive an ordinary death benefit.
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§ 12. Section 14 of chapter 78 of the laws of 2021, amending the
retirement and social security law and other laws relating to establish-
ing a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) benefit for public employee
death benefits, as amended by chapter 783 of the laws of 2022, is
amended to read as follows:
§ 14. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
have been in full force and effect on and after March 1, 2020; provided
that the provisions of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed on
[December] JULY 31, [2024] 2025.
§ 13. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
have been in full force and effect on and after March 1, 2020.