Committee advances bill allowing Catawba Nation police to join state retirement system

The Senate Finance Committee reported favorably on S 127, which would allow police officers of the Catawba Nation to join the state's police officers' retirement system.

Senator Bennet (subcommittee chair) explained PEBA reviewed the bill and did not expect meaningful fiscal impact because the tribal police force is small. He said allowing membership would improve the Catawba Nation's ability to recruit officers and would give its officers creditable service and portability comparable to other members of the retirement system.

Committee members asked whether the Catawba Nation receives state funding; the transcript records a response that the senator was not aware of such funding. Subcommittee testimony highlighted a provision on the final page of the bill (section C) under which the Catawba Nation, as a sovereign nation, agrees for pension purposes to recognize and abide by state retirement laws—an agreement the sponsor described as not undertaken lightly by the Nation.

Senators asked whether the Nation would be held to the same contribution and eligibility rules; the sponsor said the Nation would follow the same laws that apply to other participating employers and that the system would be able to collect funds if they were not submitted. Committee members noted the change would make recruitment easier and offer portability for officers moving between agencies.

The committee moved the bill forward with a favorable report; the vote was announced as unanimous in the transcript.

The transcript did not show any final fiscal estimate numbers or named roll-call votes. PEBA and the bill text were discussed as the primary sources of review.