BILL NUMBER: S7127A
SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to
the establishment of twenty-five year retirement programs for members of
the New York city employees' retirement system employed as fire
protection inspectors and associate fire protection inspectors
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a 25-year retirement plan for fire protection inspectors
who are members of the New York City Employees Retirement System
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill would establish a 25-year retirement for fire protection
inspectors, associate fire protection inspectors, and their supervisors
who are uniformed fire service personnel and members of the New York
City Employees Retirement System. The plan would be optional for those
who are fire protection inspectors, associate fire protection inspectors
or their supervisors and members of the system on the effective date who
can opt in by filing a form within 180 days. Any fire protection inspec-
tor who becomes a NYCERS member at or under the age of 25 after the
effective date will be mandated into the 25-year plan. Those over the
age of 25 may opt out of the plan within 180 days of becoming a fire
inspector.
The costs of the plan are paid for by required additional employee
contributions of 6.25% of salary.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Fire protection inspectors and associate fire protection inspectors
perform some of the most important jobs in New York City - inspecting
and ensuring compliance with the fire code. This bill would afford these
uniformed fire service personnel the opportunity to retire with a full
pension after 25 years of service. It would grant them parity with other
uniformed service personnel who perform essential tasks that mean the
difference between life and death for New Yorkers -- police officers,
firefighters, EMTs and other uniformed service employees.
Those who participate in the new pension program would be required to
make additional member contributions of their earnings, which will
offset the cost of the plan.
A number of other classes of employees currently enjoy analogous bene-
fits. For example, sanitation workers, who are members of the New York
City Employees Retirement System, are granted the option of participat-
ing in a program that allows them to retire after twenty years of
service regardless of age. Similarly, investigators, dispatchers, emer-
gency medical technicians, special officers, parking control special-
ists, school safety agents, campus peace officers, and New York City
taxi and limousine inspectors are granted the option of participating in
a program that allows them to retire after twenty-five years of service.
Corrections officers and housing police have similar benefits, as do
others. Those opting to join the program are required to make additional
contributions which are designed to pay for the benefits thereof.
The work performed by fire protection inspectors and associate fire
protection inspectors is hazardous in nature and of special value to the
residents of New York City. There is thus every reason they should be
given analogous treatment of investigators, dispatchers, and the other
professions mentioned above.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023: S7127 - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2022: S6988B - Vetoed, Veto Memo No. 129
2021: S6988A - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2020: S5455A - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2019: S5455 - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2018: S6102B - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2017: S6102A - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions
2016: S7872 - Referred to Cities
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
See bill
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.