Orange County backs home‑rule request to extend death‑benefit protections to corrections officers' families

Orange County legislators voted to send a home‑rule request to the New York State Legislature urging passage of companion Assembly and Senate bills to provide certain death benefits to correction officers and senior correction staff, the committee heard.

The request (legislative request 161) asks county legislators to support passage of "Assembly Bill A‑six 756" and "Senate Bill S‑five 726" as read in the meeting, to provide death benefits to correction officers and ranks up through wardens employed by Orange County. The speaker introducing the request described the provision informally as the "death gamble," explaining the issue as follows: "Once a correction officer reaches his retirement time in the system, and then continues to work beyond that, and suddenly passes away, they lose their retirement and there's a supplement that they get. It's like an insurance buyout. This death gamble was created for the ability to retain qualified personnel beyond their year of retirement so that we can train a lot of our newer folks, while retaining these important assets to our facility. It's also offers financial security for the families." The presenter asked the committee to forward a home‑rule request so the bills could be scheduled by state lawmakers; the presenter said he had spoken to state legislators who indicated timely submission would help placement on the legislative calendar.

Multiple legislators and corrections staff spoke in support. A member who identified a personal workplace injury said the benefit provided valuable peace of mind to families and asked to be added as a co‑sponsor on the county resolution. Committee members approved the request by voice vote and said they would forward the home‑rule request to state legislators.