S 6598: Relates to authorizing geographic pay differentials for certain police officers; authorizes a pay differential for regional state park police, forest ranger, environmental conservation officer, and university police officer titles when wage rates of police officers in a given location are substantially higher than the wage rates paid by the state.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6598 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to authorizing geographic pay differentials for certain police officers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 134 of the civil service law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 8 to read as follows: 3 8. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, when- 4 ever the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation, 5 commissioner of environmental conservation or chancellor of the state 6 university of New York finds that under community wage practices of 7 police officers in public employment in one or more areas or locations 8 in the state, wage rates of police officers in a given location are 9 substantially higher than the wage rates paid by the state, such commis- 10 sioner may, subject to the approval of the director of the budget, 11 authorize a pay differential to be added as an adjustment to the estab- 12 lished salary rates for the same or related occupations in the regional 13 state park police, forest ranger, environmental conservation officer, 14 and university police officer titles where such individuals are required 15 to work in such areas or locations which are under each respective 16 commissioner and chancellor. A pay differential under this subdivision 17 shall be a percentage or a fixed dollar amount as prescribed in each 18 case by the respective commissioner or chancellor subject to the 19 approval of the director of the budget. Such differentials shall be in 20 addition to and shall not be part of such officer's basic annual salary, 21 and shall not affect or impair any performance advancement payments, 22 performance awards, longevity payments, or other rights or benefits to 23 which such officer may be entitled under the provisions of this chapter, 24 provided, however, that any differential payable pursuant to this subdi- 25 vision shall be included as compensation for overtime and retirement EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11121-01-5 
 S. 6598 2 1 purposes. A pay differential shall be terminated for any officer when 2 such officer ceases to be employed in the position, or area, or location 3 for which such pay differential was authorized. A pay differential shall 4 remain in effect until terminated by the commissioner or chancellor, 5 with the consent of the director of the budget, or until a new pay 6 differential is authorized pursuant to this subdivision. The director of 7 the budget may adopt such regulations as they may deem necessary to 8 carry out the provisions of this subdivision. 9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.