NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7279
SPONSOR: Gray TITLE OF BILL:
An act granting David Morse, the parent of firefighter Peyton Morse,
accidental death benefits
PURPOSE:
this bill would grant David Morse, the parents of firefighter Peyton
Morse,, accidental death benefits.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Permits David Morse to apply for accidental death benefits.
Section 2: States that all costs of this act shall be paid for by the
state of New York.
Section 3: Sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
To all who met him, Peyton Morse was a hero. He lived a life of service
and dedication to the community of Lafargeville. He felt that the best
way to use his talents would be to help others as a firefighter. He
spent hours training and volunteering for this job, earning the admira-
tion of his peers and supervisors alike. After graduation from Siena
College, he joined the Watertown Fire Department to start his career.
However, he passed away at the New York State Fire Academy in March of
2021. His tragic death sent shockwaves across his town. Peyton has, and
will continue to be, recognized as a public servant who always put other
before himself.
In the wake of this tragedy, Peyton's family deserves accidental death
benefits for Peyton's untimely death. Obtaining them, however, has been
difficult. This bill would correct this injustice to the Morse family
and ensure that Peyton's sacrifice does not go unremembered by the state
of New York.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7279
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GRAY, BLANKENBUSH -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Governmental Employees
AN ACT granting David Morse, the parent of firefighter Peyton Morse,
accidental death benefits
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special
2 law, rule or regulation to the contrary, David Morse who is the parent
3 of Peyton Morse who was previously employed by the city of Watertown as
4 a firefighter and was a Tier 6 member of the New York State and Local
5 Police and Fire Retirement System at the time of his death on March 12,
6 2021 shall be eligible to file for any accidental death benefits that
7 are available under section 361 and section 361-a of the retirement and
8 social security law. Upon filing, David Morse shall be eligible to
9 receive such accidental death benefit. Any amounts previously paid to
10 Peyton Morse, his estate or David Morse prior to the filing of the
11 application for benefits pursuant to this act shall be deducted from the
12 benefit payable thereafter.
13 § 2. All costs pursuant to this act shall be borne by the state of New
14 York.
15 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
FISCAL NOTE.--Pursuant to Legislative Law, Section 50:
This bill would make David Morse eligible to receive an accidental
death benefit, payable due to the death of their child Peyton Morse,
pursuant to Sections 361 and 361-a of the Retirement and Social Security
Law (RSSL). Peyton Morse was a firefighter employed by the City of
Watertown and a member of the New York State and Local Police and Fire
Retirement System until March 12, 2021, the date of their death.
Currently, Peyton Morse has no statutory beneficiary eligible to receive
an accidental death benefit pursuant to Sections 361 and 361-a of the
RSSL.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10913-04-3
A. 7279 2
If this bill is enacted during the 2023 legislative session, there
will be an immediate past service cost of approximately $1.52 million
which will be borne by the State of New York as a one-time payment. This
estimate assumes that payment will be made on March 1, 2024.
Summary of relevant resources:
Membership data as of March 31, 2022 was used in measuring the impact
of the proposed change, the same data used in the April 1, 2022 actuari-
al valuation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the
2022 Report of the Actuary and the 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial
Report.
The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the 2020,
2021, and 2022 Annual Report to the Comptroller on Actuarial Assump-
tions, and the Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York:
Audit and Control.
The Market Assets and GASB Disclosures are found in the March 31, 2022
New York State and Local Retirement System Financial Statements and
Supplementary Information.
I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and meet the Quali-
fication Standards to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.
This fiscal note does not constitute a legal opinion on the viability
of the proposed change nor is it intended to serve as a substitute for
the professional judgment of an attorney.
This estimate, dated May 16, 2023, and intended for use only during
the 2023 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2023-146, prepared by
the Actuary for the New York State and Local Retirement System.
