NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7716

Senate Bill S7716

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Enacts the "Building Recruitment and Incentives for Dedicated Government Employees (BRIDGE) act"

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 01, 2025	referred to civil service and pensions

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2025-S7716 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8187
Current Committee:: Senate Civil Service And Pensions
Law Section:: Retirement and Social Security Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 20-A §1010, R & SS L

2025-S7716 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "building recruitment and incentives for dedicated government employees (BRIDGE) act" which provides a service credit for members who were previously employed by the federal government.

2025-S7716 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7716

SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to
enacting the "building recruitment and incentives for dedicated govern-
ment employees (BRIDGE) act"

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would allow federal employees who have been terminated by the
Trump Administration the opportunity to purchase credit in New York
State's public retirement system upon commencing employment in New York
State service.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Amends the retirement and social security law by adding a new article,
20-A which enumerates when a member of the public retirement system of
New York State may be eligible for credit for prior employment in the
federal government.

Section 1010 provides the following:

That a federal employee may be eligible for a credit of up (and not to
exceed) five years, so long as they were previously enrolled in a feder-
al defined benefit plan.

An applicant must have at least 5 years of credited service to be eligi-
ble to receive the credit.

Provides that the credit for federal employees shall be considered sepa-
rately from credit granted for military service in accordance with
Section 1000 of this Chapter.

States that in order to be eligible to receive credit under this
section, a member shall make an application for such credit prior to the
effective date of retirement.

Provides that all costs for service credited to a member, shall be paid
by the state and all employers that participate in the retirement system
in which the member is granted credit.

Provides that in the event of death prior to retirement, the amount paid
by the member for the purchase of federal service shall be refunded,
with interest, to the extent the federal service purchased with such
amounts does not produce a greater death benefit than would have been
payable had the member not purchased such credit.

States that a member who first joins a public retirement system of the
state on or after April 1, 2012, shall pay such retirement system for
deposit in the fund used to accumulate employer contributions, a sum
equal to the product of the number of years of federal service being
claimed and six percent of such member's compensation earned during the
12 months of credited service immediately preceding the date that the
member made application for credit pursuant to this section.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Building Recruitment and Incentives for Dedicated Government Employ-
ees (BRIDGE) Act would recognize the service of those whose employment
has been terminated by Eon Musk and DOGE, while capitalizing on these
crude and cruel actions to strengthen New York State. Specifically, the
BRIDGE Act would allow former Federal employees to purchase up to three
years of credit in a public retirement system of the State for previous
employment by the Federal government. This would provide an incentive
for former federal employees to bring their skills and expertise to the
State government, complementing efforts already under way to recruit
these public servants.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

See fiscal note.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S7716 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7716
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. RAMOS, CLEARE, COONEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice
   and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
   on Civil Service and Pensions
 
 AN ACT to amend the retirement and social security law, in  relation  to
   enacting  the  "building  recruitment  and  incentives  for  dedicated
   government employees (BRIDGE) act"

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the  "building  recruitment  and  incentives  for  dedicated  government
 employees (BRIDGE) act".
   §  2.  Legislative  findings.  The  legislature finds that in light of
 recent federal workforce reductions, particularly those orchestrated  by
 the  Department  of  Government Efficiency (DOGE), New York state has an
 unprecedented opportunity to attract highly skilled  professionals  with
 substantial  public  service experience. The abrupt termination of thou-
 sands of federal employees, including  seasoned  scientists,  engineers,
 and public administrators, has not only disrupted federal operations but
 also released a wealth of talent into the job market.
   To  capitalize on this opportunity and strengthen our state workforce,
 this legislation proposes allowing current and  future  New  York  state
 employees  who  have  prior  federal  service to purchase service credit
 toward their New York state pension for the time they spent  in  federal
 employment.  By offering a pathway to integrate their prior service into
 the state pension system, the legislature aims to create a more  attrac-
 tive  employment  environment  that  honors  the  contributions of these
 public servants and secures their future within our state workforce.
   § 3. The retirement and social security law is amended by adding a new
 article 20-A to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 20-A
                          FEDERAL SERVICE CREDIT

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10790-08-5

 S. 7716                             2
 
 SECTION 1010. FEDERAL SERVICE CREDIT.
   § 1010. FEDERAL SERVICE CREDIT. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW TO THE CONTRA-
 RY,  A  MEMBER  OF  THE  NEW  YORK STATE AND LOCAL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT
 SYSTEM, MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR CREDIT FOR PRIOR EMPLOYMENT BY  THE  FEDERAL
 GOVERNMENT AS HEREINAFTER PROVIDED:
   A.  A MEMBER, UPON APPLICATION TO SUCH RETIREMENT SYSTEM, MAY OBTAIN A
 TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE CREDIT FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS OF
 EMPLOYMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IF THE MEMBER WAS  ENROLLED  IN  A
 FEDERAL  DEFINED  BENEFIT  PENSION PLAN. TO OBTAIN SUCH CREDIT, A MEMBER
 SHALL PAY SUCH RETIREMENT SYSTEM, FOR DEPOSIT IN THE FUND USED TO  ACCU-
 MULATE  EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS, A SUM EQUAL TO THE PRODUCT OF THE NUMBER
 OF YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE BEING CLAIMED  AND  THREE  PERCENT  OF  SUCH
 MEMBER'S  COMPENSATION  EARNED  DURING  THE  TWELVE  MONTHS  OF CREDITED
 SERVICE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE THAT THE MEMBER MADE  APPLICATION
 FOR  CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. IF PERMITTED BY RULE OR REGULATION
 OF THE APPLICABLE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, THE  MEMBER  MAY  PAY  SUCH  MEMBER
 COSTS  BY PAYROLL DEDUCTION FOR A PERIOD WHICH SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TIME
 PERIOD OF FEDERAL SERVICE TO BE CREDITED PURSUANT TO  THIS  SECTION.  IN
 THE  EVENT THE MEMBER LEAVES THE EMPLOYER PAYROLL PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF
 PAYMENT, SUCH MEMBER SHALL FORWARD ALL REMAINING  REQUIRED  PAYMENTS  TO
 THE APPROPRIATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RETIRE-
 MENT.  IF THE FULL AMOUNT OF SUCH MEMBER COSTS IS NOT PAID TO THE APPRO-
 PRIATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE MEMBER'S RETIREMENT, THE AMOUNT OF
 SERVICE  CREDITED  SHALL  BE  PROPORTIONAL  TO  THE  TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE
 PAYMENTS MADE PRIOR TO RETIREMENT.
   B. A MEMBER MUST HAVE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS  OF  CREDITED  SERVICE  (NOT
 INCLUDING  SERVICE  GRANTED  HEREUNDER) TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CREDIT
 UNDER THIS SECTION.
   C. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CREDIT GRANTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, WHEN
 ADDED TO CREDIT GRANTED FOR FEDERAL SERVICE WITH ANY  RETIREMENT  SYSTEM
 OF  THIS  STATE PURSUANT TO THIS OR ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, EXCEED A
 TOTAL OF FIVE YEARS, PROVIDED HOWEVER  THAT  THIS  SHALL  BE  CONSIDERED
 SEPARATELY  FROM,  AND  NOT  COUNT  AGAINST, CREDIT GRANTED FOR MILITARY
 SERVICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION ONE THOUSAND OF THIS CHAPTER.
   D. TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR  FEDERAL  SERVICE  UNDER  THIS
 SECTION,  A  MEMBER  SHALL  MAKE  APPLICATION FOR SUCH CREDIT BEFORE THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF RETIREMENT.
   E. ALL COSTS FOR  SERVICE  CREDITED  TO  A  MEMBER  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION,  OTHER THAN THE MEMBER COSTS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION A OF THIS
 SECTION, SHALL BE PAID BY THE STATE AND ALL EMPLOYERS WHICH  PARTICIPATE
 IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN WHICH SUCH MEMBER IS GRANTED CREDIT.
   F.  1.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER  PROVISION OF LAW, IN THE EVENT OF
 DEATH PRIOR TO RETIREMENT, AMOUNTS PAID BY THE MEMBER FOR  THE  PURCHASE
 OF  FEDERAL  SERVICE  CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE REFUNDED,
 WITH INTEREST, TO THE EXTENT THE FEDERAL  SERVICE  PURCHASED  WITH  SUCH
 AMOUNTS  DOES  NOT  PRODUCE A GREATER DEATH BENEFIT THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN
 PAYABLE HAD THE MEMBER NOT PURCHASED SUCH CREDIT.
   2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, IN THE EVENT OF RETIRE-
 MENT, AMOUNTS PAID BY THE MEMBER FOR THE  PURCHASE  OF  FEDERAL  SERVICE
 CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE REFUNDED, WITH INTEREST, TO THE
 EXTENT  THE FEDERAL SERVICE PURCHASED WITH SUCH AMOUNTS DOES NOT PRODUCE
 A GREATER RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE THAN WOULD  HAVE  BEEN  PAYABLE  HAD  THE
 MEMBER NOT PURCHASED SUCH CREDIT.
   G.  ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY IN SUBDIVISION A OF THIS SECTION NOTWITH-
 STANDING, TO OBTAIN SUCH CREDIT, A  MEMBER  WHO  FIRST  JOINS  A  PUBLIC
 RETIREMENT  SYSTEM  OF  THE  STATE ON OR AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
 S. 7716                             3
 
 TWELVE SHALL PAY SUCH RETIREMENT SYSTEM, FOR DEPOSIT IN THE FUND USED TO
 ACCUMULATE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS, A SUM EQUAL TO  THE  PRODUCT  OF  THE
 NUMBER OF YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE BEING CLAIMED AND SIX PERCENT OF SUCH
 MEMBER'S  COMPENSATION  EARNED  DURING  THE  TWELVE  MONTHS  OF CREDITED
 SERVICE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE THAT THE MEMBER MADE  APPLICATION
 FOR CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   §  4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, none
 of the provisions of this act shall be subject  to  section  25  of  the
 retirement and social security law.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
   FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
   This  bill would allow members of the New York State and Local Retire-
 ment System (NYSLRS) Employees' Retirement System (ERS) to obtain up  to
 five  years  of service credit for employment by the federal government,
 if the member was enrolled in a federal defined  benefit  plan.  Federal
 service  is  interpreted  to  be  distinct  from  military  service. The
 purchased service is creditable in age-based plans, like Article 15, but
 not service-based plans where specific criteria limits  crediting,  like
 Article 14-B.
   This  bill  is  not  consistent  with  NYSLRS policy defining credited
 service as paid employment with a participating employer in NYSLRS.
   This bill is not consistent with  NYSLRS  policy  prohibiting  service
 credit for any employment that entitles the member to a benefit from the
 federal  government, or any other public or private retirement system in
 New York State or any other state.
   To be eligible, members must apply before retirement  but  not  before
 attaining  5  years  of service credit. Members would be required to pay
 three percent of their most recent compensation (six percent for Tier  6
 members)  for  each  year  of  additional service credit granted by this
 bill.  Member contributions are refunded to the member,  with  interest,
 if the purchased service does not result in an improved death or retire-
 ment benefit.
   The provisions of Section 25 of the Retirement and Social Security Law
 shall not apply.
   If  this  bill  is  enacted during the 2025 Legislative Session, it is
 estimated that the past service cost will average  21%  of  an  affected
 member's  compensation for each year of additional service that is cred-
 ited. This cost will be reduced by member contributions.  All  remaining
 costs  will be shared by the State of New York and the local participat-
 ing employers in ERS.
   Further, we anticipate significant administrative costs  to  implement
 the provisions of this legislation.
   The  exact  number  of  current  members as well as future members who
 could be affected by this  legislation  cannot  be  readily  determined.
 Because  a member can apply for this service credit at any time prior to
 retirement, a precise cost cannot be determined until  each  current  or
 future member applies for the service credit.
   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
 S. 7716                             4
 
 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 April 30, 2025, and intended for use only during
 the 2025 Legislative Session, is Fiscal  Note  No.  2025-135.  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.

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Senate Bill S7716

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Sponsored By

Jessica Ramos