S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4655
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 23, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT establishing a state government task force to study the feasibil-
ity of creating a New York State sponsored retirement security program
for private sector workers in the state
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. 1. There shall be established a state government task force
consisting of the superintendent of financial services and the director
of the budget to study the feasibility of establishing a state sponsored
retirement security program for private sector workers in this state.
2. The task force shall utilize the personnel and services of any
other state agency in order to complete said feasibility study.
3. The task force shall review such reports and recommendations issued
by any reputable source and shall examine the activities of other states
in this area.
4. The task force shall initially conduct such studies, surveys and
inquiries necessary to determine whether a need exists in this state for
a state sponsored retirement security program or whether current private
sector resources along with federal and state laws and incentives are
sufficient to provide private sector workers with ability to establish
adequate individual retirement programs designed to provide the requi-
site retirement security.
5. In the event that the task force determines that current private
sector resources along with federal and state laws are not sufficient to
allow private sector workers to establish individual retirement
programs, the task force shall determine the feasibility of the state
sponsoring a retirement security program for private sector workers. In
the course of such studies the task force shall consider the following
criteria:
a. maximization of participation and ease of enrollment;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08241-01-7
S. 4655 2
b. limitation of risk and fees;
c. portability of benefits;
d. conformity with the provisions of the federal retirement income
security act and any other applicable federal or New York state law;
e. prohibition of the possibility of incurring debt or financial
liability to the state of New York or to any business that enrolls its
workers in the program;
f. maximizing the utilization of private sector investment vehicles
and the use, by individual private sector workers, of private sector
investment advice; and
g. maximizing the amount of choices of investment vehicles by private
sector workers.
6. The task force shall consult with representatives of New York's
small business associations, investment advisor trade groups, insurance
and investment company associations, consumer groups and any other
interested party or stakeholder.
7. The task force shall conduct a minimum of four public hearings in
such locations as to provide reasonable access to all persons of this
state who may wish to be heard at such hearing.
8. All proceedings of the task force shall be public and all documents
reviewed or generated by the task force shall be subject to disclosure
in accordance with the state's freedom of information law.
9. The task force shall make public and present its findings and
recommendations in a report to the governor, the temporary president of
the senate and the speaker of the assembly within one year of the effec-
tive date of this act. If such recommendations include establishment of
a state sponsored retirement security program for private sector workers
then the report shall include a process and a time-frame by which such
program may be established.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.