Assembly Bill A5950

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5950

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 23, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. ESPAILLAT, JOHN, WRIGHT, J. RIVERA -- Multi-Spon-
  sored  by  -- M. of A.  GOTTFRIED, V. LOPEZ, RAMOS, WEISENBERG -- read
  once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Employees

AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in  relation    to  providing
  additional compensation to certain employees

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The general municipal  law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
section 209-ff to read as follows:
  S  209-FF.  SALARY  COMPENSATION  FOR EMPLOYEES OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT
WITH CERTAIN LANGUAGE SKILLS. 1. A CITY WITH A POPULATION OF ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND OR MORE IS AUTHORIZED TO ADOPT A LOCAL LAW TO CREATE A  PROGRAM
TO  BE  KNOWN  AS  THE  "LANGUAGE SERVICES PROGRAM", WHICH PROGRAM SHALL
PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION IN AN AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN   FIVE
PERCENT  OF  THE  BASE SALARY OF ANY EMPLOYEE OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO
QUALIFIES FOR SUCH ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION UNDER THIS SECTION.
  2. THE COMMISSIONER, SUPERINTENDENT OR CHIEF OF POLICE, WHERE APPLICA-
BLE, OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A CITY WITH A POPULATION OF  ONE  HUNDRED
THOUSAND  OR  MORE  WHICH  HAS  ADOPTED A LOCAL LAW TO CREATE A LANGUAGE
SERVICES PROGRAM AS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS  SECTION  SHALL
DESIGNATE  A  LANGUAGE  SERVICES  PROGRAM  DIRECTOR.  THE DUTIES OF SUCH
PROGRAM DIRECTOR SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
  (A) DETERMINING QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  THE  LANGUAGE  SERVICES  PROGRAM,
WHICH  QUALIFICATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE  SATISFYING  THE REQUIREMENTS OF A
PUBLIC CONTACT PERSON AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION;
  (B) CREATING AN APPLICATION PROCESS  FOR  ADDITIONAL  LANGUAGE  SKILLS
COMPENSATION;
  (C) DEFINING WHICH FOREIGN LANGUAGES SHALL QUALIFY UNDER THIS PROGRAM;
  (D) SETTING LANGUAGE SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY STANDARDS WHICH APPLICANTS
MUST DEMONSTRATE TO QUALIFY;
  (E) MAINTAINING A RECORD OF PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06474-01-9
              

A. 5950                             2

  (F)  KEEPING  A  RECORD OF ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE
LANGUAGE SKILLS PAY;
  (G)  INFORMING  EMPLOYEES  WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF
THE PROGRAM; AND
  (H) DISTRIBUTING TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR SUCH PROGRAM.
  THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR SHALL IDENTIFY THOSE POSITIONS WITHIN THE  POLICE
DEPARTMENT  THAT  ARE  TO BE DESIGNATED AS PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS. THE
DECISION OF THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AS TO  THE  CLASSIFICATION  OF  SUCH  A
POSITION IS FINAL.
  3.  A  PUBLIC  CONTACT  PERSON SHALL BE DEFINED AS A SWORN OR CIVILIAN
POSITION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEREIN THIRTY PERCENT  OR  MORE  OF
THE  ASSIGNED WORK OF SUCH PERSON INVOLVES DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE
PUBLIC.  SUCH POSITIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,  PATROL
OFFICERS,  POLICE  COMMUNICATION DISPATCHERS, INVESTIGATORS, DETECTIVES,
AND OTHER SUCH POSITIONS AS DETERMINED BY THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of October next  succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.