§ 130-a. Declaration of policy. The legislature hereby determines
that (1) employees of the state and its political subdivisions, their
survivors and dependents, are entitled to the basic protection provided
by the federal old-age and survivors insurance system, (2) such
protection should be provided to as many of such employees as possible,
regardless of whether they are or are not members of public pension or
retirement systems maintained by the state or its political
subdivisions, with the option to those who are presently members of a
retirement system to have or not to have such additional protection as
they so desire, (3) such extension of old-age and survivors insurance
coverage to public employees in this state is consistent with principles
of sound employer-employee relations, (4) provision of such coverage
will provide not only basic security to present employees and their
dependents, but also will serve to attract competent persons to the
employ of the state and its political subdivisions who now may be
discouraged from accepting such employment by reason of the fact that
their old-age and survivors insurance coverage obtained through private
or self employment would not be continued, and (5) the protection
afforded to employees in positions covered by any retirement system in
the state on the date old-age and survivors insurance coverage is
extended to their positions will not be impaired as the result of such
extension of coverage or as the result of legislative enactment in
anticipation thereof.