Bill Text: NY A04575 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a temporary task force on the variable supplements fund program to make findings and recommendations.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to governmental employees [A04575 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A04575-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4575 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, ZEBROWSKI, THIELE, COLTON, SEAWRIGHT, JEAN-PIERRE, SIMON, DICKENS, REYES, COOK, STERN, PHEFFER AMATO, D. ROSENTHAL, DARLING, AUBRY, McDONOUGH, BARCLAY, PALMESANO, BRABENEC, BLANKENBUSH, MILLER, SMITH, NORRIS, DeSTEFANO, MIKULIN, REILLY, MANK- TELOW, DURSO, GANDOLFO, JACKSON, SEPTIMO, J. A. GIGLIO, K. BROWN, BURDICK, J. M. GIGLIO, SILLITTI, TANNOUSIS, KELLES, WALLACE, LAVINE, BYRNES, MEEKS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Govern- mental Employees AN ACT establishing a temporary task force on variable supplements fund The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The variable supplements fund (VSF) 2 program was enacted in 1970 to provide supplementation to the retirement 3 allowance of New York city police and fire retirement system members. 4 Since the enactment of the legislation establishing the VSF program, 5 much controversy has been generated by the exclusion of disability reti- 6 rees from eligibility for the benefit. Although a small number of New 7 York city disability retirees were permitted to receive VSF supplementa- 8 tion benefits as a result of technical correction legislation approved 9 during previous years, the lack of clarity in defining VSF eligibility 10 and the continued exclusion of most disabled firefighters from receipt 11 of this benefit has been a cause of much frustration and confusion for 12 disability pensioners. 13 While it is recognized that any amendment to the VSF will require 14 careful study and consideration of the issues involved, the legisla- 15 ture's interest in ensuring fairness and equity demand such review. 16 Because the legislature does not accept this responsibility lightly, it 17 hereby declares that the establishment of a temporary task force, to be 18 known as the temporary task force on the variable supplements fund, is 19 both warranted and required. 20 § 2. 1. A temporary task force, to be known as the temporary task 21 force on the variable supplements fund, is hereby created to examine and 22 investigate such issues as are related to the exclusion of disability 23 pensioners from the variable supplements fund. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04163-01-3A. 4575 2 1 2. The temporary task force shall have the power to: 2 (a) conduct public hearings in furtherance of the performance of its 3 duties under this act; 4 (b) issue subpoenas for and to compel attendance of witnesses and the 5 production of books, records, documents and other relevant evidence; and 6 (c) to recommend legislation consistent with the purposes of this 7 section. 8 3. The task force shall consist of eleven members appointed as 9 follows: 10 (a) two members who shall be appointed by the governor; 11 (b) two members who shall be appointed by the temporary president of 12 the senate; 13 (c) two members who shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; 14 (d) one member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 15 senate; 16 (e) one member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 17 assembly; 18 (f) one member who shall be appointed by the mayor of the city of New 19 York; 20 (g) one member who shall be appointed by the state comptroller; and 21 (h) one member who shall represent the interest of the affected disa- 22 bility retirees and who shall be appointed by the chair. 23 From among such eleven members, the governor shall designate the 24 chair. In addition to such eleven voting members, the president of the 25 uniformed firefighters association of greater New York or his or her 26 designee, the comptroller of the city of New York or his or her desig- 27 nee, a member of the board of trustees of the transit police officer's 28 variable supplements fund or his or her designee, a member of the board 29 of trustees of the housing police officer's variable supplements fund or 30 his or her designee, a member of the board of trustees of the transit 31 police superior officers' variable supplements fund or his or her desig- 32 nee, a member of the board of trustees of the housing police superior 33 officers' variable supplements fund or his or her designee, and a member 34 of the board of trustees of the correction officers' variable supple- 35 ments fund or his or her designee shall serve as non-voting members. Six 36 voting members of the temporary task force shall, at all times, consti- 37 tute a quorum. Members shall receive no compensation for their services; 38 members (including non-voting members) who are not governmental employ- 39 ees shall be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses incurred during 40 the performance of their duties. Notwithstanding any inconsistent 41 provision of any general, special or local law, no officer or employee 42 of the state or of any political subdivision thereof shall forfeit his 43 or her office or employment by reason of acceptance of appointment to 44 the temporary task force. 45 4. Within one year of the effective date of this act, the temporary 46 task force shall issue a report containing such findings and recommenda- 47 tions regarding the eligibility of disability pensioners of New York 48 city to receive supplemental payments from the variable supplements fund 49 and any other matters relating thereto. Such report shall be transmitted 50 to the governor, the comptroller, the chair of the Senate civil service 51 and pensions committee and the chair of the assembly governmental 52 employees committee. 53 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
