Assemblywoman Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) announced that legislation she sponsored to amend the retirement and social security law, in relation to the death benefit provided in the third year following retirement for members of the New York state teachers' retirement system passed the Assembly.

“An unfair statute in the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) has prevented retirees who joined the system after the age of 60 and their beneficiaries from getting the benefits they deserve. My bill removes this statute to bring New York into compliance with the federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, ensuring that certain retirees of the NYSTRS who joined the system after age 60 are still eligible for a death benefit not to be reduced below 10% of the benefit at the time they joined (A.7182),” Buttenschon stated.

This bill will go into effect immediately, providing consistency for 1300 NYSTRS members who joined the retirement system after the age of 60. As a Member of the Educations Committee, Buttenschon sponsored this legislation to stand up for older New Yorkers who choose to become educators, while advocating for future teachers.

“As a former educator myself, I know that teachers play an invaluable role in our society by helping prepare our children for the road ahead. For some, the passion to teach doesn’t come until later in life – a decision that should be celebrated, not punished. All teachers, regardless of age, deserve the full benefits within the NYSTRS to support them for the time they’ve devoted to our students.”