This bill amends existing laws to enhance the provisions for members or retirees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who are seeking accidental disability retirement allowances due to health impairments linked to their involvement in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations after September 11, 2001. It establishes a presumption that permanent and total disability from qualifying health conditions is deemed to have occurred in the line of duty, provided the individual participated in these operations for a minimum of eight hours. The bill also allows for the recalculation of retirement allowances for those who retired under different circumstances but later developed disabilities related to their World Trade Center service.

Key changes include extending the time frame for filing claims to two years post-enactment of the bill, with the possibility of additional two-year extensions. It modifies eligibility criteria to allow members or retirees to present evidence from medical examinations conducted before or after their entry into public service, rather than relying solely on a physical examination that did not reveal qualifying conditions. The bill also clarifies that its provisions apply to members or retirees of the Public Employees' Retirement System who did not meet age or medical requirements for enrollment in the PFRS, as well as emergency medical technicians certified for basic life support services. The board of trustees is mandated to notify affected members and retirees of these changes within 30 days.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:16A-7, 53:5A-10, 43:15A-43