Bill > S07716

This bill enacts the "Building Recruitment and Incentives for Dedicated Government Employees (BRIDGE) Act", which provides a pathway for members of the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System to obtain service credit for prior federal government employment. Under the bill, eligible members can purchase up to five years of service credit if they were previously enrolled in a federal defined benefit pension plan, with some key conditions: members must have at least five years of existing credited service, must apply for the credit before retirement, and must pay a percentage of their current compensation (3% for most members, 6% for those who joined after April 1, 2012) for each year of federal service they wish to credit. The legislation was motivated by recent federal workforce reductions, particularly those by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which created an opportunity to attract skilled federal professionals to New York state employment. If the purchased service does not result in an improved retirement or death benefit, the member's contributions will be refunded with interest. The bill aims to create a more attractive employment environment for public servants by allowing them to integrate their prior federal service into the state pension system.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7716