New York Assembly Bill A11279

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/4/26
• Refer: 5/4/26

Caption

Authorizes Ryan J. St. Gelais and Aaron M. St. Gelais, police officers in the village of Menands, county of Albany, to receive certain credit under section 384-d of the retirement and social security law and to apply for reinstatement with the NY state and local police and fire retirement system.

Impact

The implications of Bill A11279 are substantial as it not only addresses the individual cases of the two officers but also introduces a provision that could influence future similar cases. While it enables these officers to gain important retirement benefits without increasing the village's annual contributions, it does impose a one-time past service cost of $260,000 on the village of Menands. This expense will be paid upfront and is projected for February 1, 2027, thereby impacting the village's budgetary considerations. Nonetheless, the bill is designed to ensure that employees receive the benefits they are entitled to without creating an ongoing financial burden.

Summary

Bill A11279 authorizes police officers Ryan J. St. Gelais and Aaron M. St. Gelais, employed by the village of Menands, to receive service credit under section 384-d of the Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) for their previous employment. This bill recognizes their service as correction officers and allows for credit based on age for pension purposes, a significant change given that typically, such services are not recognized in the New York State and Local Police and Fire Retirement System (NYSLPFRS). The enactment of this bill is contingent upon the officers fulfilling specific requirements, such as filing applications for tier reinstatement.

Contention

Opposition or concerns surrounding this legislation are primarily rooted in its financial implications for local governments, particularly the funding of pension benefits. While supporters argue for the rights of individual police officers to obtain the benefits they deserve, critics may highlight the potential precedent set by the bill that could lead to similar requests from other public servants. This could result in increased financial liabilities for municipalities if not managed carefully. Ultimately, the balance between providing fair retirement credits to former officers and managing the financial health of local governments forms the crux of the contention surrounding this bill.