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S 5026

Relates to procedures and other matters related to the receipt or discontinuation of certain benefits

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Robert Jackson

Standardizes how public retirement and related benefits are started, suspended, or stopped, with notices, verification, appeals, and recovery rules for retirees and systems.

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 5026

Summary — S.5026 (Sen. Robert Jackson)

Relates to procedures and other matters related to the receipt or discontinuation of certain benefits

Status: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
Introduced: February 18, 2025
Sponsor: Senator Robert Jackson
Committee referrals and key actions: Referred to Civil Service & Pensions (2/18/2025); amended, printed as 5026A and 5026B; amended and recommitted; reported and committed to Finance (5/21/2025 and 5/27/2025).

Note: The official bill text is not provided here. This summary describes the bill’s stated purpose, the legislative progress to date, the likely scope of provisions given the bill title and committee referral, and potential impacts. For precise legal language and operative provisions, consult the bill text (NY Senate website) or the companion Assembly bill A.3838.

Main purpose and intent

The bill’s title indicates it addresses procedures and other matters governing how certain benefits are received or discontinued. Because it was referred to the Civil Service and Pensions Committee, the benefits affected are likely retirement, pension, disability, survivor, or other employment-related benefits administered by state or local public retirement systems. The intent appears to be to clarify, modify, or standardize administrative procedures for initiating, suspending, stopping, or reinstating such benefits.

Likely key provisions (based on title and committee)

The bill may include one or more of the following (actual provisions must be verified in the bill text):
- Notice and documentation requirements for beneficiaries prior to discontinuation of benefits (timelines, content of notices).
- Procedures for verification of continued eligibility (periodic certification, medical/earnings verification).
- Appeal and administrative review processes for beneficiaries whose benefits are reduced or discontinued.
- Rules on retroactive adjustments, overpayments, and recovery/recoupment of erroneously paid benefits.
- Hardship exceptions, stay provisions, or temporary continuations while appeals are pending.
- Responsibilities and timelines for administering agencies to act (e.g., how long before benefits may be cut off).
- Confidentiality, data-sharing, and recordkeeping requirements.
- Penalties or sanctions for fraud or false representations.
- Implementation or effective dates, and instructions for system-level coordination between state agencies and local retirement systems.

Who would be affected

  • Public employees, retirees, beneficiaries, and survivors receiving pensions, disability or similar benefits administered by state or local government systems.
  • State agencies and public retirement systems (e.g., NYS Comptroller’s Office, retirement boards) responsible for administering benefits.
  • Municipalities and employers that contribute to or interact with pension systems.
  • Attorneys, advocates, and organizations assisting beneficiaries with appeals.

Procedural and fiscal considerations

  • The bill passed out of the Civil Service & Pensions Committee (with amendments printed as 5026A and 5026B) and was reported to and committed to the Finance Committee on May 21 and May 27, 2025 — indicating potential fiscal implications that Finance will review.
  • Passage would require concurrence by Finance and then floor votes in both houses (with A.3838 as the Assembly companion).

How to follow up / where to find the bill text

  • For the exact language and amendments, consult the New York State Senate legislative site (search S.5026) or the Assembly site for companion A.3838.
  • Track committee reports and fiscal notes from the Finance Committee for details on fiscal impact.
  • Review the prior-session bill S.6978 for context on prior proposals on this topic.

If you’d like, I can retrieve and summarize the bill’s actual text and amendment language once you provide a copy or authorize me to fetch it from the legislative website.

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

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