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Bill

S 10533

Prohibits certain salary increases of state officers

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dean Murray

Imposes a hard cap tying state officer and top SUNY/CUNY salaries to the governor’s pay, with annual, transparent salary plans funded from existing appropriations.

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Bill Summary · S 10533

Summary of Bill S.10533 (2025-2026) – New York

Purpose and intent

  • Proposes restrictions on salary increases for state officers to prevent compensation from exceeding the governor’s salary.
  • Applies to certain high-level state university positions (SUNY and CUNY) and a special president position withinSUNY/CUNY framework.
  • Seeks to require salary plans for university leaders that are developed with oversight and funded through reallocation within existing appropriations.

Key provisions

  1. Salary cap for state officers

    • New paragraph (c) added to Section 169(2) of the Executive Law.
    • Any salary increase for state officers that would be granted under subdivision 1 may not result in a salary above the governor’s salary.

  2. University salary plans and cap for top leaders

    • Amends Section 169(3) (as added by 1987 law) to require annual salary plans for:
      • Chancellors, presidents, and senior staff of SUNY and CUNY.
      • A separate salary plan for the President of the University of the State of New York (USNY), coordinated with regents and boards.
    • Salary plans must be developed after consultation with:
      • Governor’s Office of Employee Relations
      • New York State Division of the Budget
    • Cap: No salary increase for the chancellor and/or president of SUNY or CUNY shall exceed the governor’s salary.
    • Funding: Any increase not funded by a specific appropriation must be financed by reallocations within the boards’ identified appropriations.
    • Reporting: Each board (SUNY trustees, CUNY trustees, and the Regents for USNY) must file a proposed salary plan report with:
      • Chairs of the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee
      • Director of the Budget
      • At least 60 days prior to the effective date of the salary plan
    • Content of each salary plan report must include:
      • Salary schedule
      • Dollar value of additional public compensation and other employment benefits
      • Specific funding sources for salary increases (reallocations)
      • Amount of increase for each position
      • Comparison salary data used
      • Other information deemed appropriate by the boards

Who would be affected

  • State officers whose salaries could be increased (subject to the governor’s salary cap).
  • Senior leadership at:
    • State University of New York (SUNY) system
    • City University of New York (CUNY) system
    • University-President levels within USNY
  • Entities required to prepare and file salary plan reports with the Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Budget Director.

Timing and procedural aspects

  • Effective date: April 1, 2027.
  • Process requirements:
    • Boards must develop and file salary plans with specified legislators and the Budget Director at least 60 days before the proposed effective date.
    • Plans must detail funding sources, salary increases, and supporting data, and must be coordinated with the governor’s budget and employee relations offices.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Introduces a hard cap linking state officer salaries to the governor’s salary, limiting larger raises for top state officials and university leaders.
  • Adds a procedural framework requiring transparency and public reporting on proposed salary plans, funding sources, and comparables.
  • Ties university salary decisions to reallocation within existing appropriations rather than new funding, potentially constraining some compensation increases.
  • Establishes governance and coordination requirements with the governor’s office and budget office to shape executive compensation in higher education.
  • Changes would not take effect until 2027, providing time for affected boards to prepare compliant salary plans.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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