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Committee approves option for home confinement officers to transfer PERS service into EMS retirement system
Summary
The committee reported a committee substitute for Senate Bill 874 recommending passage; the measure would allow current home confinement officers to stop participating in PERS and opt into the Emergency Medical Services Retirement System, with transfer rules modeled on a 2023 PERS-to-EMS transfer.
The Senate Finance Committee voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 874 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass. Committee counsel described the substitute as permitting current home confinement officers to stop participating in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and begin participating in the Emergency Medical Services Retirement System if they choose.
Counsel said the substitute defines home confinement officers as members eligible for the EMS plan and sets out a process for transferring service from PERS to the EMS retirement system. "The new section is modeled off the 9/11 transfer from PERS to the Emergency Medical Services Retirement System that occurred during the 2023 regular session," counsel said, adding that the substitute also describes the administrative process by which home confinement officers will enter the EMS system.
The counsel emphasized that transfers would be handled to avoid "make-up contributions" when possible and that service would be prorated so any time credited in PERS receives commensurate treatment if moved into EMS treatment. No fiscal figures or appropriation details were provided in the committee transcript. The vice chairman moved to report the committee substitute to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass; the chair called a voice vote and declared the motion adopted.
Next steps: The bill was reported to the full Senate. Implementation of transfers will depend on administrative rules and the Consolidated Public Retirement Board's processes as noted in the substitute.
