Senate Civil Service Committee advances 10 retirement and civil-service bills, including telework expansion; all 10 reported to Finance 6-0

The Senate Standing Committee on Civil Service and Pensions on Wednesday advanced 10 bills by recorded voice votes of 6-0 and reported each to the Senate Finance Committee.

The measures considered at the committee's third meeting of the 2025 legislative session largely amend the Retirement and Social Security Law or the Civil Service Law; one bill (S.5211) would enact the New York State Teleworking Expansion Act to require state agencies to establish telework policies.

Why it matters: The package includes bills that would change eligibility and benefit rules for retired or active public safety and transit employees, clarify disability- and death-benefit rules, and set procedures for hearings and government workforce rules. Those changes, if advanced by Finance and passed by the full Senate, could affect retirement benefits and employment rules for a range of county and state workers, including correction officers and New York City Transit Authority members.

Votes at a glance (committee action — all reported to Finance, each vote 6-0):

- S.4426 (sponsor: Jackson) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to waiving or earning limitations for retired sworn officers employed by district attorneys as investigators." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.4580 (sponsor: Jackson) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to removing eligibility or receipt of primary social security disability benefits as a condition for ordinary disability retirement for certain members." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.4599 (sponsor: Jackson) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to credits in certain county fire marshals, supervising fire marshals, fire marshals, assistant fire marshals, assistant fire chiefs, and chief fire marshals' pension benefits for service rendered beyond 25 years." Moved by Senator White; seconded by Senator Metaira; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.4773 (sponsor: Chris Ryan) "An act to amend the civil service law in relation to preventing outsourcing during a hiring freeze." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.5083 (sponsor: Sapolvita) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to death benefits for beneficiaries of certain members of the retirement system." Second by Senator White; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.5211 (sponsor: Starsellus Spanton) "Enact the New York State Teleworking Expansion Act" (would require state agencies to establish telework policies and programs). The bill drew the meeting's most substantive verbal exchange: committee members asked whether employees would retain the option to work from an office and whether the bill includes standards for monitoring productivity. Senator Starsellus Spanton, the sponsor, said: "You still have the option to be physically in the office, this just allows them to establish their work from home plan for people." Committee members were told the bill permits agencies to establish oversight procedures in their policies but does not itself specify detailed monitoring mechanisms. The motion was moved and seconded and the bill was reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.5255 (sponsor: Jackson) "An act to amend the civil service law in relation to hearing procedures for certain public employees." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.5726 (sponsor: Scousis) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to providing certain death benefits to correction officers, correctional officer sergeants, correctional officer captains, assistant wardens, associate wardens, or wardens employed by Orange County." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.6640 (sponsor: Bernardes) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to death benefits for active New York City Transit Authority members." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

- S.6702 (sponsor: Jackson) "An act to amend the retirement and social security law in relation to eligibility for participants in the 25-year, age-50 pension plan who remain in active service after age 62 to receive a service retirement benefit equal to a standard service retirement benefit for tier 4 members with the same age and service." Committee moved and seconded; reported to Finance. Vote: 6-0.

Discussion and staff: Most bills were handled on unanimous committee voice votes with little debate. The committee chair confirmed a quorum and recorded a voting sheet from Senator Cooney. Staff named at the start of the meeting included Finance Director Christopher Friend, finance analyst Christine DeSura, committee associate counsel Rachel Eisenberg, Assistant Deputy Counsel Paul McCarthy, and Deputy Counsel Amanda Godkin; they assisted with readings and questions.

Direct quotes and committee clarifications: Senator Starsellus Spanton, sponsor of S.5211, said the bill does not remove an employee's option to work onsite: "You still have the option to be physically in the office, this just allows them to establish their work from home plan for people." Committee counsel explained that the legislation allows agencies to create oversight procedures within their policies but does not itself prescribe specific monitoring protocols.

Next steps and meeting close: All 10 bills were reported to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration. The committee adjourned at the close of its third meeting of the 2025 legislative session.