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House advances measure to lower years for survivor benefits from 25 to 20
Summary
House Bill 111 would reduce the years-of-service requirement for survivor benefits in the noncontributory retirement system from 25 to 20 years. Supporters called the change a fairness measure; opponents warned of ongoing fiscal costs estimated at about $1.25 million annually.
On Feb. 11, 1993, the Utah House debated and passed House Bill 111, which would reduce the vesting threshold for survivor benefits under the noncontributory retirement system from 25 years to 20 years of service.
Representative Arrington, the bill’s sponsor, said the change is a matter of fairness for long-serving public employees and cited a recent local case where a spouse received no benefit after a member died with 24 years of service. Members asked about committee review and fiscal implications; a fiscal-note figure discussed on the floor estimated an ongoing cost of roughly $1.25 million per year.
Some lawmakers urged the measure be vetted by the retirement subcommittee before final action; others said that while fiscal impacts matter, the bill addresses an equity concern for surviving spouses of career employees. After floor debate the House passed the bill by recorded vote (93–58) and referred it to the Senate.
