S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8645
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 22, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DeSTEFANO  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Employees
 
 AN ACT relating to disability retirement  benefits  for  deputy  sheriff
   Richard Stueber, a participant in World Trade Center rescue, recovery,
   and cleanup operations

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Notwithstanding the provision of  any  general  or  special
 law, rule or regulation to the contrary, Richard Stueber, a deputy sher-
 iff employed by Suffolk County who retired from such service on March 1,
 2019,  and  who  participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery
 and cleanup operations as a member of the New York City  police  depart-
 ment,  and  is now deceased succumbing to mental illness associated with
 his participation in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup
 operations, and Stacie Stueber on behalf of her deceased  husband  shall
 be  entitled to a 75% accidental disability retirement  benefit pursuant
 to paragraph 4 of subdivision d of section 605  of  the  retirement  and
 social  security  law based upon the determination by the New York state
 and local employees' retirement system on March 12,  2020  that  Richard
 Stueber was permanently incapacitated  for the performance of his duties
 as  a  result  of  his  participation  in the World Trade Center rescue,
 recovery, or cleanup operations. Such benefit shall be payable from  the
 date of his retirement.
   § 2. All costs associated with implementing this act shall be borne by
 the county of Suffolk.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
   FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
   This  bill would provide Stacie Stueber, the surviving spouse of Rich-
 ard Stueber, formerly a deputy sheriff employed by Suffolk County,  with
 an  accidental  disability  retirement  benefit  equal  to  75%  of  the
 decedent's final average salary, retroactive to the date of  retirement.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02755-03-5
              

 A. 8645                             2
 
 Currently,  Stacie  Stueber  is eligible to receive the continuance of a
 Pop-Up Joint  Allowance  75%,  resulting  from  the  decedent's  service
 retirement.
   If  this  bill  is  enacted during the 2025 Legislative Session, there
 will be an immediate past service cost of  approximately  $1.04  million
 which will be borne by the State of New York as a one-time payment. This
 estimate assumes that payment will be made on March 1, 2026.
   Summary of relevant resources:
   Membership  data as of March 31, 2024 was used in measuring the impact
 of the proposed change, the same data used in the April 1, 2024 actuari-
 al valuation. Distributions and other statistics can  be  found  in  the
 2024  Report  of the Actuary and the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial
 Report.  The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the
 2024 Annual Report to the Comptroller on Actuarial Assumptions, and  the
 Codes,  Rules  and  Regulations  of  the  State  of  New York: Audit and
 Control. The Market Assets and GASB Disclosures are found in  the  March
 31, 2024 New York State and Local Retirement System Financial Statements
 and Supplementary Information.
   This  fiscal note does not constitute a legal opinion on the viability
 of the proposed change nor is it intended to serve as a  substitute  for
 the professional judgment of an attorney.
   This  estimate,  dated  May 12, 2025, and intended for use only during
 the 2025 Legislative Session, is Fiscal  Note  No.  2025-126.  As  Chief
 Actuary  of  the  New  York  State and Local Retirement System, I, Aaron
 Schottin Young, hereby certify that this analysis complies with applica-
 ble Actuarial Standards of Practice as well as the Code of  Professional
 Conduct  and Qualification Standards for Actuaries Issuing Statements of
 Actuarial Opinion of the American Academy of Actuaries, of which I am  a
 member.