State Senator Patty Ritchie today announced that the Senate has passed her bill that would guarantee full retirement benefits for surviving family members of a corrections officer who dies in the line of duty.

“The brave men and women who walk the line at state correctional facilities work long and dangerous hours, putting their lives at risk every single day to keep us safe,” said Sen. Ritchie. “This bill aims to give them peace of mind knowing that, should something tragic happen on the job, their spouses, children and families will be taken care of, and receive the same benefits that they should have received in retirement.”

The bill (S.4077) would effectively treat the officer’s date of death as their retirement date, and make their families eligible to collect their benefit. Right now, surviving family members are entitled only to a smaller, one-time death benefit.

“Through the efforts of Senator Ritchie, Leader Flanagan and other members of the Senate Republican Conference, it is no longer a secret that NYSCOPBA’s Correctional Officers and Sergeants walk the toughest beat in law enforcement. Working without adequate death benefit protections for their loved ones, places an even greater stress upon the men and women of NYSCOPBA working in our State’s prisons,” said NYSCOPBA President, Michael Powers. “With the Senate passing this critical piece of legislation sponsored by Ritchie, our retirement eligible Correctional Officers and Sergeants are one step closer to knowing that their hard fought and well-deserved pensions will remain with their beneficiaries in the event of an untimely death. NYSCOPBA applauds the efforts of Ritchie and now calls upon the Assembly to pass this important piece of legislation before the final gavel is banged on June 21,” stated Powers.

The bill still needs to be approved by the Assembly, where it is sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie Jenne.