N.Y. Retire. & Soc. Sec. Law § 130-a

§ 130-a. Declaration of policy. The legislature hereby determines\nthat (1) employees of the state and its political subdivisions, their\nsurvivors and dependents, are entitled to the basic protection provided\nby the federal old-age and survivors insurance system, (2) such\nprotection should be provided to as many of such employees as possible,\nregardless of whether they are or are not members of public pension or\nretirement systems maintained by the state or its political\nsubdivisions, with the option to those who are presently members of a\nretirement system to have or not to have such additional protection as\nthey so desire, (3) such extension of old-age and survivors insurance\ncoverage to public employees in this state is consistent with principles\nof sound employer-employee relations, (4) provision of such coverage\nwill provide not only basic security to present employees and their\ndependents, but also will serve to attract competent persons to the\nemploy of the state and its political subdivisions who now may be\ndiscouraged from accepting such employment by reason of the fact that\ntheir old-age and survivors insurance coverage obtained through private\nor self employment would not be continued, and (5) the protection\nafforded to employees in positions covered by any retirement system in\nthe state on the date old-age and survivors insurance coverage is\nextended to their positions will not be impaired as the result of such\nextension of coverage or as the result of legislative enactment in\nanticipation thereof.\n