NY A06438

Amends the Retirement and Social Security Law to provide enhanced in-service death benefits for Westchester County correction officers (including sergeants, captains, assistant wardens, associate wardens, and wardens) who would have been eligible to retire at time of death.

Beneficiaries may elect to receive a lump sum payment equal to the greater of: (1) the pension reserve that would have been established had the member retired on their date of death, or (2) the value of the death benefit plus reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay, if any.

Applies to deaths occurring on or after the effective date of this chapter (2023) and affects correction officers in Tiers 2 through 6.

Westchester County bears all past service implementation costs, which may be amortized over a 10-year period; estimated one-time past service cost of approximately $812,000 and annual contribution increase of approximately $110,000 for fiscal year 2023-24.

Takes effect immediately and is exempt from the appropriation requirement under Section 25 of the Retirement and Social Security Law.