This bill amends existing laws concerning accidental disability retirement allowances for members and retirees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who participated in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations following the September 11, 2001 attacks. It establishes a presumption that permanent and total disabilities resulting from qualifying health conditions are connected to their service during these operations, provided the member participated for at least eight hours. The bill also allows for the recalculation of retirement allowances for those who retired under different circumstances but later incurred disabilities related to their participation in these operations.

Key provisions include extending the time frame for filing a written and sworn statement with the retirement system to two years after the bill's effective date, with the possibility of additional extensions in two-year increments. 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 clarifies that the presumption of permanent and total disability applies to members who participated for a minimum of eight hours and includes provisions for those who sustained documented injuries during the specified time frame. The board of trustees is also required to notify members and retirees of the new provisions within 30 days of the bill's enactment, aiming to enhance access to disability benefits for those affected by their service during the 9/11 events.

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