In relation to authorizing certain persons in an optional twenty year retirement plan to receive credit for previous service as a uniformed court officer or…

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Siela Bynoe says this is needed

Uniformed court officers and correction officers perform critical public safety roles that frequently involve physical risk, exposure to violence, and longterm occupational stress. Many of these employees enter service as a sworn police officer and firefighter after prior public employment that is not credited toward their current retirement system. JUSTIFICATION: Other public safety titles within the state retirement framework have been granted opportunities to purchase prior service credit as a. recruitment and retention tool. Extending a simi- lar opportunity to former court and correction officers promotes fair- ness across uniformed services while strengthening workforce stability in correctional facilities and courts. This bill authorizes certain persons in an optional twenty year retire- ment plan to receive credit for previous service as a uniformed court officer title series employed by the Unified Court System of the State of New York, or any correction officer employed by a county, munici- pality, or the state. The measure is intended to promote retirement equity, strengthen workforce retention, and recognize the demanding public safety functions performed by these employees.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.