Senate Bill S5913

                                BILL NUMBER:S5913                REVISED 10/20/11

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to
permitting the purchase of military service rendered in the Iranian
hostage crisis

PURPOSE:
To permit the purchase of military service credit during military
service rendered in the Iranian hostage crisis.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: The inclusion of section 'e' within subdivision 2, section
1000 of the Retirement and Social Security law, added by Chapter 548
of the laws of 2000, allowing for those military forces of the United
States who participated in hostilities during the period November 4,
1979 until January 20, 1981, to be eligible for a maximum of three
years of retirement credit for military service performed during the
Iranian Hostage crisis.

Section 2: Effective date of bill.

EXISTING LAW:
Chapter 548 of the laws of 2000 fails to recognize and give due
diligence to the military forces who served in hostilities during the
              

period November 4, 1979 until January 20, 1981, also known as the
"Iranian Hostage Crisis." periods previously identified in this
chapter include:

* December 7, 1941 - December 31, 1946 (World War II);
* June 27, 1950 - January 31, 1955 (Korean War);
* February 28, 1961 - May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War);
* June 1, 1983 - December 1, 1987 (Lebanon);
* October 23, 1983 - November 21, 1983 (Grenada);
* December 20, 1989 - January 31, 1990 (Panama);
* August 2, 1990 to the end of hostilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the united Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of
Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the
airspace above these location.

JUSTIFICATION:
A series of events which rallied countless number of Iranians against
a government that distributed uneven distribution of wealth and a
westernizing influence of the United States led to the hostage and
imprisonment of 66 Americans by Iranian student unions at both the U.S.
Embassy in Teheran, Iran and the Iranian Foreign Ministry on November
4, 1979. Over the course of 444 days, a total of 52 hostages were kept
captive after the release of several women and African-Americans by
the Iranian student unions. During this time, the hostages were
paraded in front of television cameras, often blindfolded or hooded,
and a failed military mission coded-named "Operation Eagle Claw" led
to the deaths of eight U.S. Military personnel, fueling further
discontent. With the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan on
January 20, 1981, the ordeal cease to exist.


Reflecting back on a tough time for U.S. Military personnel to aid and
bring home our hostages safe and soundly, this class/period in
history should be rightly classified and grouped with other defined
periods as specified within Chapter 548 of the laws of 2000. It was a
contentious time for our military which called for strategic plans to
both protect and ensure the lives of our hostages. For the efforts of
the U.S. Military, they should be honored and given the privilege to
buy back military service credit if they so choose.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect immediately.