NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6641

Current 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
Mar 19, 2025	referred to civil service and pensions

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Civil Service And Pensions
Law Section:: General Municipal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §208-f, Gen Muni L; amd §361-a, R & SS L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9076

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Increases certain special accidental death benefits for state and local retirement system members.

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6641

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general municipal law and the retirement and social
security law, in relation to increasing the special accidental death
benefit of certain deceased members

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To increase certain Special Accidental Death Benefits (SADB) for surviv-
ing spouses, dependent children, and certain other eligible benefici-
aries of former uniformed employees of the City of New York and the New
York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, and for certain former
employees of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, who were
members of certain New York City retirement systems and pension funds
and died as a natural and proximate result of an accident sustained in
the performance of duty.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision c of Section 208-f of the General Municipal
Law to increase the amount paid of accidental death benefits to widows
or their dependent children.

Section 2 amends subdivision c of Section 361-a of the Retirement and
Social Security Law to increase the amount paid of accidental death
benefits to widows or their dependent children.

Section 3 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Since 1978, the Legislature has passed and the Governor signed into law
a cost of living increase and a one-year escalation for all New York
state widows and widowers of police officers and firefighters killed in
the line-of-duty. The intent of the original 1978 law was to increase
their benefits to an amount that would reflect the impact of inflation.

However, the law did not provide for any new cost of living increase
after July 1, 1979. Since that date, the cost of living has increased
well over 3% each year, including some periods of double-digit
inflation. These same widows and widowers are no longer receiving
adequate benefits. This legislation provides some increased relief to
the widows and widowers of New York State's bravest citizens, who gave
their lives in service to the people of New York State. In the past,
these brave families have faced a poverty-stricken existence. This
legislation would prevent the return of that deplorable state of
affairs.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: Chapter 162

2023: Chapter 213

2022: Chapter 528

2021: Chapter 327

2020: Chapter 58/Item NNN of Subpart B of Part )00( of TED

2019: Chapter 382

2018: Chapter 179

2017: Chapter 76

2016: Chapter 347

2015: Chapter 23

2014: Chapter 104

2013: Chapter 196

2012: Chapter 285

2011: Chapter 161

2010: Chapter 439

2009: Chapter 305

2008: Chapter 76

2007: Chapter 39

2006: Chapter 88

2005: Chapter 48

2004: Chapter 351

2003: Chapter 139

2002: Chapter 313

2001: Chapter 264

2000: Chapter 231

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

See bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect July 1st, 2025.

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6641
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 19, 2025
                                ___________
 
 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 general municipal law and the retirement and social
   security law, in relation to increasing the special  accidental  death
   benefit of certain deceased members

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision c of section 208-f  of  the  general  municipal
 law,  as  amended by chapter 162 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read
 as follows:
   c. Commencing July first, two thousand [twenty-four]  TWENTY-FIVE  the
 special  accidental  death  benefit  paid  to  a widow or widower or the
 deceased member's children under the age of eighteen or, if  a  student,
 under  the  age of twenty-three, if the widow or widower has died, or to
 the deceased member's parents if the member has no widow, widower, chil-
 dren under the age of eighteen, or a student under the  age  of  twenty-
 three,  shall be escalated by adding thereto an additional percentage of
 the salary of the deceased member (as increased pursuant to  subdivision
 b of this section) in accordance with the following schedule:
 
      calendar year of death
      of the deceased member              per centum
           1977 or prior                  [301.2%] 313.2%
           1978                           [289.5%] 301.2%
           1979                           [278.2%] 289.5%
           1980                           [267.1%] 278.2%
           1981                           [256.5%] 267.1%
           1982                           [246.1%] 256.5%
           1983                           [236.0%] 246.1%
           1984                           [226.2%] 236.0%
           1985                           [216.7%] 226.2%
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10050-02-5

 S. 6641                             2
 
           1986                           [207.5%] 216.7%
           1987                           [198.5%] 207.5%
           1988                           [189.8%] 198.5%
           1989                           [181.4%] 189.8%
           1990                           [173.2%] 181.4%
           1991                           [165.2%] 173.2%
           1992                           [157.5%] 165.2%
           1993                           [150.0%] 157.5%
           1994                           [142.7%] 150.0%
           1995                           [135.7%] 142.7%
           1996                           [128.8%] 135.7%
           1997                           [122.1%] 128.8%
           1998                           [115.7%] 122.1%
           1999                           [109.4%] 115.7%
           2000                           [103.3%] 109.4%
           2001                            [97.4%] 103.3%
           2002                            [91.6%] 97.4%
           2003                            [86.0%] 91.6%
           2004                            [80.6%] 86.0%
           2005                            [75.4%] 80.6%
           2006                            [70.2%] 75.4%
           2007                            [65.3%] 70.2%
           2008                            [60.5%] 65.3%
           2009                            [55.8%] 60.5%
           2010                            [51.3%] 55.8%
           2011                            [46.9%] 51.3%
           2012                            [42.6%] 46.9%
           2013                            [38.4%] 42.6%
           2014                            [34.4%] 38.4%
           2015                            [30.5%] 34.4%
           2016                            [26.7%] 30.5%
           2017                            [23.0%] 26.7%
           2018                            [19.4%] 23.0%
           2019                            [15.9%] 19.4%
           2020                            [12.6%] 15.9%
           2021                             [9.3%] 12.6%
           2022                             [6.1%] 9.3%
           2023                             [3.0%] 6.1%
           2024                             [0.0%] 3.0%
           2025                                    0.0%
   § 2. Subdivision c of section 361-a of the retirement and social secu-
 rity  law,  as amended by chapter 162 of the laws of 2024, is amended to
 read as follows:
   c. Commencing July first, two thousand [twenty-four]  TWENTY-FIVE  the
 special  accidental  death  benefit  paid  to  a widow or widower or the
 deceased member's children under the age of eighteen or, if  a  student,
 under  the  age of twenty-three, if the widow or widower has died, shall
 be escalated by adding thereto an additional percentage of the salary of
 the deceased member, as increased pursuant  to  subdivision  b  of  this
 section, in accordance with the following schedule:
 
      calendar year of death
      of the deceased member              per centum
           1977 or prior                    [301.2%] 313.2%
           1978                             [289.5%] 301.2%
           1979                             [278.2%] 289.5%
 S. 6641                             3
 
           1980                             [267.1%] 278.2%
           1981                             [256.5%] 267.1%
           1982                             [246.1%] 256.5%
           1983                             [236.0%] 246.1%
           1984                             [226.2%] 236.0%
           1985                             [216.7%] 226.2%
           1986                             [207.5%] 216.7%
           1987                             [198.5%] 207.5%
           1988                             [189.8%] 198.5%
           1989                             [181.4%] 189.8%
           1990                             [173.2%] 181.4%
           1991                             [165.2%] 173.2%
           1992                             [157.5%] 165.2%
           1993                             [150.0%] 157.5%
           1994                             [142.7%] 150.0%
           1995                             [135.7%] 142.7%
           1996                             [128.8%] 135.7%
           1997                             [122.1%] 128.8%
           1998                             [115.7%] 122.1%
           1999                             [109.4%] 115.7%
           2000                             [103.3%] 109.4%
           2001                              [97.4%] 103.3%
           2002                              [91.6%] 97.4%
           2003                              [86.0%] 91.6%
           2004                              [80.6%] 86.0%
           2005                              [75.4%] 80.6%
           2006                              [70.2%] 75.4%
           2007                              [65.3%] 70.2%
           2008                              [60.5%] 65.3%
           2009                              [55.8%] 60.5%
           2010                              [51.3%] 55.8%
           2011                              [46.9%] 51.3%
           2012                              [42.6%] 46.9%
           2013                              [38.4%] 42.6%
           2014                              [34.4%] 38.4%
           2015                              [30.5%] 34.4%
           2016                              [26.7%] 30.5%
           2017                              [23.0%] 26.7%
           2018                              [19.4%] 23.0%
           2019                              [15.9%] 19.4%
           2020                              [12.6%] 15.9%
           2021                               [9.3%] 12.6%
           2022                               [6.1%] 9.3%
           2023                               [3.0%] 6.1%
           2024                               [0.0%] 3.0%
           2025                                      0.0%
   § 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
   FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
   This  bill  would amend both the General Municipal Law and the Retire-
 ment and Social Security Law to increase the salary used in the computa-
 tion of the special accidental death benefit by three percent  in  cases
 where the date of death was before calendar year 2025.
   Insofar  as  this bill affects the New York State and Local Police and
 Fire Retirement System (NYSLPFRS), the increased costs would  be  shared
 by  the  State  of  New  York  and  the local participating employers in
 NYSLPFRS. If this bill were enacted during the 2025 Legislative Session,
 S. 6641                             4
 
 the increase in the present value of  benefits  would  be  approximately
 $9.11 million.
 
  NYSLPFRS                  Increase in present    Increase in required
                             value of benefits        contributions
 
  Pensioners                     $ 9.1 mn               $ 0.0 mn
  Actives Tiers 1-5 (Closed)     $ 0.0 mn               $ 3.7 mn
  Actives Tier 6 (Open)          $ 0.0 mn               $ 5.4 mn
    Total                        $ 9.1 mn               $ 9.1 mn
 
   In NYSLPFRS, this benefit improvement will be funded by increasing the
 billing  rates charged annually to cover both retrospective and prospec-
 tive benefit increases. The annual contribution required of all  partic-
 ipating  employers  in NYSLPFRS is 0.02% of billable salary, or approxi-
 mately $170,000  to  the  State  of  New  York  and  $750,000  to  local
 participating  employers. This PERMANENT ANNUAL COST will vary in subse-
 quent billing cycles with changes in the billing rate and salary of  the
 members in NYSLPFRS.
   Summary of relevant resources:
   Membership  data as of March 31, 2024 was used in measuring the impact
 of the proposed change, the same data used in the April 1, 2024 actuari-
 al valuation. Distributions and other statistics can  be  found  in  the
 2024  Report  of the Actuary and the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial
 Report.  The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the
 2024 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, 2024 New York State and Local Retirement System Financial Statements
 and Supplementary Information.
   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 March 12, 2025, and intended for use only during
 the 2025 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2025-82. As Chief Actu-
 ary of the New York State and Local Retirement System, I, Aaron Schottin
 Young, hereby certify that this analysis complies with applicable  Actu-
 arial  Standards of Practice as well as the Code of Professional Conduct
 and Qualification Standards for Actuaries Issuing Statements of Actuari-
 al Opinion of the American Academy of Actuaries, of which I am a member.

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Senate Bill S6641

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6641

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Sponsored By

Andrew Gounardes

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6641 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments