Requires health benefits for state and retired state employees have the option to only cover the employee or retiree and their spouse or domestic partner.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9692
SPONSOR: Cashman TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to requiring health
benefits for state and retired state employees to have the option to
only cover the employee or retiree and their spouse or domestic partner
PURPOSE:
To require that health insurance benefits offered to state and retired
state employees include an option for coverage limited to the employee
or retiree and their spouse or domestic partner, without requiring
dependent coverage.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 164 of the civil service law by adding a new
subdivision 3. The amendment entitles each state employee to choose
between health insurance coverage for themselves only, coverage for
themselves and their spouse or domestic partner, or coverage for them-
selves, their spouse or domestic partner, and their dependents.
Section 2 provides that the act shall take effect on the first day of
April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, and
authorizes the addition, amendment, or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for implementation prior to the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The amended language of this bill provides state and retired state
employees with greater flexibility in selecting health insurance cover-
age that aligns with their household needs. By expressly authorizing a
coverage option limited to an employee or retiree and their spouse or
domestic partner, the legislation seeks to ensure equitable access to
appropriately scaled benefits while avoiding unnecessary coverage costs
for employees without dependents.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
02/04/25 referred to governmental employees
09/08/25 enacting clause stricken
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first day of April next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9692
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CASHMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to requiring health
benefits for state and retired state employees to have the option to
only cover the employee or retiree and their spouse or domestic part-
ner
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 164 of the civil service law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3 3. Each employee shall be entitled to choose between coverage for
4 themselves, coverage for themselves and their spouse or domestic part-
5 ner, or coverage for themselves, their spouse or domestic partner, and
6 their dependents.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
8 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
9 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
10 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
11 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08634-01-5
