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A09869 Summary:

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A09869 Floor Votes:

A09869 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          9869
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     April 19, 2012
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. ABBATE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Governmental Employees
 
        AN  ACT  to  amend the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law, in
          relation to provision of health insurance and supplemental benefits to
          retirees of the New  York  city  off-track  betting  corporation;  and
          making an appropriation therefor
 

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Legislative intent. The state of New York has  an  interest
     2  in  the  welfare  of its citizens, and the general welfare of its senior
     3  citizens is a matter of great public concern to the state.  On  December
     4  7, 2010, the New York city off-track betting corporation, a public bene-
     5  fit  corporation  created  in 1973 pursuant to article VI of the racing,
     6  pari-mutual wagering and breeding law ceased operations. The legislature
     7  finds that, since its inception, off-track betting in the  city  of  New
     8  York  provided the state with significant revenues to support government
     9  operations. The legislature further finds that after the governor issued
    10  an executive order to allow the New York city off-track  betting  corpo-

    11  ration to file for bankruptcy pursuant to Chapter 9 of the United States
    12  Bankruptcy Code, the unions representing the employees of such off-track
    13  betting  corporation  worked tirelessly to assist the corporation in its
    14  restructuring efforts, including two  collective  bargaining  agreements
    15  wherein  the employees made significant concessions, including voluntary
    16  separation from the corporation, in order to save  the  corporation  and
    17  assist their fellow employees.
    18    The  legislature further finds that employees retired from such corpo-
    19  ration, after having received the assurance that they and  their  depen-
    20  dants  would  receive health insurance and supplemental benefit coverage
    21  under  their  collective  bargaining  representative's  welfare  benefit
    22  program. After the closure of the New York city off-track betting corpo-
    23  ration, those benefits ceased.

    24    The  legislature  further  finds  that  cessation of these benefits to
    25  public employees who have devoted their working lives to  service  of  a
    26  state  public  benefit  corporation works a great injustice and a severe
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15234-02-2
        A. 9869                             2
 
     1  hardship to the retirees and their  dependants,  thereby  putting  their
     2  health and very lives in danger.
     3    The  legislature  further  finds  that  by  honoring the commitment to
     4  provide health insurance and supplemental benefits to  retirees  of  the
     5  New  York  city  off-track  betting corporation, the state reaffirms its

     6  commitment to ameliorate the deleterious impact  which  the  closure  of
     7  such corporation has had upon the citizens of the state.
     8    §  2. Subdivision 4 of section 606 of the racing, pari-mutuel wagering
     9  and breeding law, as amended by chapter 115 of  the  laws  of  2008,  is
    10  amended to read as follows:
    11    4.  All  [employees  and  officers] present and future retirees of the
    12  corporation in classes or  positions  whose  incumbents,  in  equivalent
    13  classes or positions of the city, are eligible, as of the effective date
    14  hereof, to participate in, and receive benefits from any city authorized
    15  health  insurance  or  welfare  benefit  program,  shall  be eligible to
    16  participate in, and receive benefits from any such health  insurance  or
    17  welfare benefit program; provided, however, that the [corporation] state

    18  shall reimburse the city or its designee for the actual cost of benefits
    19  under this subdivision.
    20    § 3. The sum of seven million dollars ($7,000,000), or so much thereof
    21  as  may  be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of civil
    22  service out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general  fund  to
    23  the credit of the aid to localities account, not otherwise appropriated,
    24  and  made  immediately  available,  for  the purpose of carrying out the
    25  provisions of this act. Such moneys shall be payable on  the  audit  and
    26  warrant  of  the  comptroller  on  vouchers certified or approved by the
    27  president of the civil service commission in the  manner  prescribed  by
    28  law.
    29    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.