BILL NUMBER: S4725
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to authorizing Michael Winston Hoard, the widower of
Kathy Marie Dwyer-Hoard, to file a new service retirement application
and option election form with the New York state and local employees'
retirement system on behalf of such deceased member
 
PURPOSE:
To authorize Michael Winston Hoard, the widower of Kathy Marie Dwyer-
Hoard, to file a new service retirement application and election form
with the New York state and local employees' retirement system
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Authorizes Michael Winston Hoard, the widower of Kathy Marie
Dwyer-Hoard, who was a member of the New York state and local employees'
the retirement system, to file a new service retirement application and
an option election form on behalf of his deceased wife with a joint
allowance full option.
Section 2: Establishes that additional costs for this act shall be paid
by the state of New York.
Section 3: Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, members of the State and Local Employees Retirement System
who file a retirement application must wait a minimum of 15 days before
their retirement becomes active. Unfortunately, this waiting period has
led to tragic situations in which members who have submitted their
retirement applications pass away before the application becomes effec-
tive. In such cases, their families are deprived of the pension benefits
they would have been entitled to, instead receiving only the death bene-
fit, which is a significantly lower payment.
One such heartbreaking case involves Kathy Dwyer-Hoard and her husband,
Michael Hoard. Kathy served the State of New York for 38 years. On Octo-
ber 18, 2019, while in her hospital room at Orange Regional Medical
Center in Middletown, NY, Kathy signed her retirement paperwork in the
presence of a notary. The following day, October 19, 2019, her husband
mailed the forms to the New York State and Local Retirement System,
selecting October 21, 2019, as her retirement date. Tragically, Kathy
passed away on October 25, 2019-just eight days before the current law
would have allowed her retirement to become effective.
Kathy's retirement application was not deemed effective because the
required 15-day waiting period had not passed. As a result, her husband,
Michael, was only entitled to the death benefit rather than the pension
benefits Kathy had earned. This bill seeks to rectify this injustice by
allowing Mr. Hoard to receive the full pension benefits he rightfully
deserves, providing some relief during this difficult time.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
2024: S9631A, Passed Senate
Assembly
A10546: Referred to Governmental Employees
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
See fiscal note
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This shall take effect immediately