REPORT ON BILLS FAVORABLY REPORTED BY COMMITTEE

TITLE OF BILL:

AN ACT CONCERNING DISABILITY RETIREMENT FOR CORRECTION OFFICERS.

SPONSORS OF BILL:

REASONS FOR BILL:

This bill makes existing law that provides for extraordinary disability retirement benefits for corrections officers retroactive to disabilities occurring on or after March 1, 1993. The additional benefit gives a corrections officer eligible for disability retirement an increase in his benefit if the disability is considered to have created an extraordinary circumstance for the individual. The designation bases the disability retirement benefit on the highest pay grade of the member's bargaining unit regardless of the pay grade the member held at the time of the disabling incident.

The substitute language makes the bill retroactive to March 1, 1993 rather than November 1, 1996.

RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:

None given.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:

Anthony Horvath, former correction officer, supports this bill. Mr. Horvath was severely injured on the job as a correction officer. He is currently not working due to the depth of his injuries. Mr. Horvath spoke of the hardship of providing for his family as well as maintaining his health. Life has been difficult and challenging since the injury. He is in constant pain and doctors advise against surgery; the operation would be a life-threatening intervention and other medical procedures would include chronic narcotic suppression or a morphine pump. This bill is a great bill for all the dedicated men and women serving the State of Connecticut under hazardous duty conditions.

Robert DeLaRosa, correction officer, supports this bill. Mr. DeLaRosa was forced to retire due to a permanent injury he sustained while working as a correctional officer. Over the years his condition has worsened and the surgery for the condition is too risky for the doctors to perform. Mr. DeLaRosa is in constant pain. He no longer has the ability to do simple things in life; getting out of bed is hard for him to do. The severity of his injuries will prevent him from ever working again. This bill will ease the burden of dealing with his injuries.

Lisa Fontana, wife of a disabled correction officer, supports this bill. Ms. Fontana's husband was injured in the line of duty. He was trying to save an inmate and in the process had a career ending permanent injury that forced him to retire. The State of Connecticut decided to elevate the retirement benefits of any state police officer who was permanently disabled through a line of duty injury and to do it retroactively. This was a humane and decent thing to do for them. Ms. Fontana is asking to extend this same benefit to state correction officers retroactively. This will make state policy consistent.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:

None given.