Bill > S07831

This bill expands disability benefits for participants in World Trade Center (WTC) rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations by allowing certain individuals who were not members of the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System (NYSLERS) or the New York State Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS) at the time of their WTC operations participation to now qualify for disability benefits. Specifically, the bill provides that active members with at least ten years of service credit who did not have an active membership in these retirement systems at the time of their WTC operations participation, but are now active members, can receive a performance of duty disability retirement allowance equal to three-quarters of their final average salary. This benefit is available to those who incurred a qualifying WTC-related condition that is determined to have been incurred in the performance of duty and is the natural and proximate result of an accident not caused by the member's own willful negligence. The bill aims to provide additional support for those who contributed to the WTC rescue and recovery efforts but were not initially eligible for these enhanced disability benefits. The fiscal note estimates that approximately 60 NYSLERS members could potentially benefit, with an estimated total cost of around $20.4 million.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7831