June 18, 2008
Legislative countdown
As the legislators jam through hundreds of bills in preparation for Monday's exodus, even seasoned veterans concede it's tough to keep score on which bills remain alive and kicking.
Here's an update (as of Wednesday morning) of a baker's dozen of bills with potentially broad or significant impacts on the cost of government:
A9393-a/S6457-a would create a task force on health benefits for retired government workers and would virtually lock in current retiree health benefits. (See PPW, here, here, here and here). Status: Senate passed pre-amended bill; Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
A10016/S6703 strengthens the legal presumption that cops or firefighters with heart conditions can claim the condition is job related, making them eligible for more generous disability pensions. Status: Senate passed; Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
A9977/S6717 would make employee discipline a mandatory "term and condition" of collective bargaining. The broadly drafted bill applies to all state and local government employees, not just police and firefighters, according to some critics. Status: Passed Senate; Passed Assembly 6/17/08.
A2989/S4164 would close a "double-dipping loophole that allows government workers to sue to recover lost wages and medical expenses--even when they have been fully reimbursed by insurance and disability insurance. Status: Senate Judiciary Committee; Assembly Rules Committee.
A3896-a/S3548-a would increase the amount of money retired government workers (under age 65) can earn (without a waiver) if they return to their former jobs. The annual cap would increase to $32,500 from $30,000. Status: Senate Civil Service Committee; Assembly Ways and Means.
A8902/S4957 would raise the above salary cap to $40,000. Status: Senate Civil Service Committee; Assembly Governmental Employees Committee.
A11110-a/S8199-a would allow elected officers of local government unions to be granted leaves of absence with the unions reimbursing municipalities for their salaries, pension contributions and other benefits. Status: Senate Local Government Committee; Assembly 3rd reading.
A11273/S8217 would automatically remove teachers convicted of "certain felonies" (i.e., physically or sexually abusing a child) from the classroom. It would not affect teachers convicted of other felonies, like bank robbery, arson or murder. Status: Senate 3rd reading; Assembly Education Committee.
A10589/S7520 would permit county corrections officers (and deputy sheriffs working as corrections officers) to retire will full benefits after 20 years, rather than waiting 25 or 30 years, under this bill. Status: Passed Senate; Assembly Ways and Means Committee.
S5100-a is one of the "body part" bills, which would give state and local government workers extra leave time (in addition to existing personal, sick and vacation leaves) to undergo certain cancer screening as often as once a year (regardless of age or medical history). It would permit four hours for annual leave for colon cancer screening. Status: Senate 3rd reading; no Assembly bill.
A2386-c would permit eight hours of leave for colon cancer screening.Status: Senate Civil Service Committee; passed Assembly.
A7148-c would permit four hours of leave for cervical cancer screening. Status: No Senate bill; Assembly 3rd reading.
A10035-a would amend current law which grants public employees four hours of excused leave annually for both breast and prostate cancer screening. The new bill stipulates that the workers get paid leave. Status: Senate 3rd reading; Assembly 3rd reading.
Pension sweeteners for New York City government workers appear stalled. After the New York Times reported that a union-paid actuary had developed costs estimates, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver halted passage of the bills until an independent actuary recalculated the costs.
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