NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2591
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:
2023-2034 - Referred to Governmental Employees
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2591
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GRAY, BLANKENBUSH, JENSEN -- 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. Peyton
Morse did not have a statutory beneficiary eligible to receive an acci-
dental death benefit pursuant to Sections 361 and 361-a of the RSSL, so
an ordinary death benefit was paid.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00100-02-5
A. 2591 2
If this bill is enacted during the 2025 Legislative Session, there
will be an immediate past service cost of approximately $1.70 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, 2026.
Summary of relevant resources:
Membership date as of March 31, 2024 was used in measuring the impact
of the proposed change, the same data used in the April 1, 2024 actuari-
al valuation. Distributions and other statistics can be found in the
2024 Report of the Actuary and the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial
Report. The actuarial assumptions and methods used are described in the
2024 Annual Report to the Comptroller on Actuarial Assumptions, 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, 2024 New York State and Local Retirement System Financial Statements
and Supplementary Information.
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 January 8, 2025, and intended for use only during
the 2025 Legislative Session, is Fiscal Note No. 2025-001. As Chief
Actuary of the New York State and Local Retirement System, I, Aaron
Schottin Young, hereby certify that this analysis complies with applica-
ble Actuarial Standards of Practice as well as the Code of Professional
Conduct and Qualification Standards for Actuaries Issuing Statements of
Actuarial Opinion of the American Academy of Actuaries, of which I am a
member.
