Albany, NY – New York State Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato succeeded in bringing parity to the NYPD as she had her bill, A.3968, included in the New York State budget. The bill will codify a 20-year retirement plan for all members of the NYPD. Prior to the work of Pheffer Amato, any member of the NYPD who was hired after July 2009 was required to work 22 years, while those hired before that date needed to work 20 years to achieve the option for retirement. The Assemblywoman, in partnership with the NYC Police Benevolent Association (PBA) worked to successfully address this inconsistency – especially as neighboring counties in New York offer a flat 20-year option.

“It isn’t fair to have our police officers work different lengths of time, especially if we want to be competitive in recruiting and retaining the best of the best in law enforcement. By establishing a flat 20-year retirement option we can ensure our police have pension equity with their peers. It was my honor to work with the PBA to ensure our police, and their families, have the best opportunities – and I will continue to do so,” said Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato.

PBA President Patrick Hendry said, “Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato’s tireless advocacy has delivered a landmark victory for both police families and the safety of every New Yorker. Over the past two legislative sessions, she has been leading the fight to help us keep our most talented police officers on the job in NYC. We are deeply grateful for the enormous effort she and her team put into getting this bill across the finish line.”

Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato has proven to be one of the few elected officials that not only says she “backs the blue” but actually gets legislation accomplished that does back the blue! In the 2024 State Budget she succeeded in an unprecedented move by getting police officers within the NYPD a salary enhancement if they serve 25 years or more. This most recent move comes as part of her multi-pronged approach to address the serious staffing issues within the NYPD. This move has been hailed as “amazing” and “helpful.”

The bill was carried and pushed through the State Senate by Staten Island Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton.