Bill > S07119

This bill authorizes Robin Garfinkle, the widow of Howard Mahler, to file a retirement option election form on behalf of her deceased husband, who worked for the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and was a member of the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System. Howard Mahler passed away on December 23, 2014, after nearly 29 years of state service, before he could file his retirement election form. The bill allows Robin Garfinkle to submit a request to the state comptroller within one year of the act's effective date to file a joint allowance full option retirement form, with Howard Mahler's official retirement date being retroactively set to December 22, 2014. All costs associated with this special provision will be borne by the State of New York, with any previous payments made by the retirement system due to Mahler's death being deducted from the future service retirement benefit. The fiscal note indicates that if enacted during the 2025 Legislative Session, this bill would result in a one-time past service cost of approximately $1.33 million, estimated to be paid on March 1, 2026.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7119