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A 4004

Requires legislative oversight for debt issuances that reach maturity if such maturity exceeds thirty years

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ed Ra

Expands accidental disability and death benefits for WTC responders across PFRS, SPRS, PERS by broadening eligibility, extending filing windows, and widening survivor eligibility.

REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS
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Bill Summary · A 4004

Summary — A4004 (Reprint ASL 5/16/24, 1R)

Title (short): An Act concerning the accidental disability retirement allowance and accidental death benefits for certain members and retirees of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS), the State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS)

Sponsor: Assemblyman Edward Ra
Related/companion: S3307

Purpose

A4004 expands and clarifies eligibility and application rules for accidental disability retirement allowances and accidental death benefits for PFRS, SPRS, and PERS members and retirees who participated in World Trade Center (WTC) rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations following September 11, 2001. It also expands survivor eligibility and imposes notice requirements.

Key provisions and changes

  • Presumption of work-related disability:

    • Reaffirms a presumption that a member who participated at the WTC site for at least eight hours (between Sept. 11, 2001 and Oct. 11, 2001) and later develops a listed “qualifying condition or impairment of health” is permanently and totally disabled as a direct result of duty, unless disproved.
    • Provides an alternative path for members who participated less than eight hours if they sustained a documented physical injury at the WTC site on Sept. 11–12, 2001 that prevented further participation and is the basis for the qualifying condition.

  • Expanded evidence standard for initial eligibility:

    • In addition to proof of passing a pre-employment physical, a member may instead present medical examination(s) or results from a reasonable period before or after entry into public service that did not disclose the qualifying condition.

  • Extended filing windows:

    • Extends the timeframe for members and retirees to submit the required written and sworn statement (originally tied to earlier law) to two years after the bill’s effective date; the relevant board of trustees may approve further two‑year extensions.
    • Extends the time for a retiree to apply to have a service or ordinary retirement recalculated to an accidental disability retirement from 30 days to 180 days after the retiree knew or should have known of the qualifying disability.

  • Broadened recalculation eligibility (SPRS):

    • Adds SPRS members who retired on a “special retirement” (after 25 years of service) to those eligible to have their retirement recalculated as an accidental disability retirement.

  • Survivor benefits expanded:

    • Removes the prior cutoff date limitation (previously limited to retirees who died on or before July 8, 2019). Any surviving spouse or child of a qualifying deceased SPRS retiree may apply for accidental death benefits.
    • Extends eligibility to survivors of retirees who had ordinary disability retirement, special retirement, or service retirement (not just accidental disability retirees).

  • Notice requirement:

    • Requires PFRS, SPRS, and PERS members, retirees, and surviving spouses/children to be notified of the bill’s enactment and its provisions by certified mail within 30 days after the bill becomes law.

Who is affected

  • Active members and retirees of PFRS, SPRS, and certain PERS members/retirees who participated in WTC rescue/recovery/cleanup operations (Sept. 11–Oct. 11, 2001).
  • Survivors (spouses and children) of qualifying SPRS retirees (regardless of date of death).
  • Retirement system boards of trustees (administration of application windows and notices).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced in Assembly: March 7, 2024 (referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee).
  • Reported out of Assembly State and Local Government Committee with amendments: May 16, 2024 (then referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee).
  • Later referred to Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions: January 30, 2025.
  • The bill requires certified-mail notifications within 30 days after its effective date and authorizes trustee boards to grant two‑year extensions to filing deadlines after the initial two‑year period.

This bill primarily expands eligibility, relaxes some proof requirements, extends application timelines, broadens survivor access, and mandates outreach to potentially affected members and survivors.

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

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