Senate Bill 56 would extend and increase supplemental employer contribution rates for the Public Employees' Retirement System and add supplemental rates for the Highway Patrol Officers', Sheriffs' and Game Wardens' retirement systems. Representative Perry, carrying the bill, said the changes extend a termination date from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2035 and add an annual 0.1 percentage point increase in employer contributions, with annual actuarial reviews.

Perry explained the bill's purpose as managing actuarial amortization targets and noted assumptions that investment returns would average 7.5 percent. He told members the change would reduce amortization periods for several pension accounts and help keep the plans on a stable glide path.

Other lawmakers criticized cumulative legislative actions that, in their view, have reversed prior pension reforms. Representative Schomer (and others) said successive session changes have undermined last session's effort to improve solvency. Supporters, including Representative Thain, pointed to fiscal note tables showing reduced amortization periods for several funds and urged a green vote.

The House concurred in Senate Bill 56 on the floor; the clerk recorded 82 ayes and 18 no votes. Supporters said the measure preserves promised benefits for public employees and keeps the pension systems on actuarial targets; critics warned that recurring legislative fixes continue to shift costs to taxpayers and do not fix long‑term liabilities.

Why it matters: The bill affects employer (taxpayer) contributions into multiple public retirement systems and changes amortization schedules used by actuaries to measure unfunded liabilities.