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House extends ‘retire-in-place’ option to five elected sheriffs
Summary
Senate Bill 85 passed the House unanimously to remedy a drafting omission and allow five elected sheriffs who had previously been excluded to retire in place and continue serving; supporters framed it as a fairness issue for small communities.
The House approved Senate Bill 85, which extends a previously adopted "retire in place" option to five elected sheriffs who had been left out of last year’s statutory change.
Representative Bigelow, the bill sponsor, said the prior law allowed many chiefs and elected officers to retire and continue working but inadvertently excluded five elected sheriffs because of the way the retirement system was written. The bill corrects that oversight so those sheriffs can retire and remain in their positions if they and their local governments choose.
Supporters described the change as a fairness issue for small communities that want to retain experienced sheriffs without forcing them to relocate for financial reasons. Lawmakers emphasized the broader policy debate over whether retirement-in-place policies should be allowed generally, but said this bill addresses a specific inequity affecting a small number of elected sheriffs.
The House passed SB 85 with a recorded vote of 72–0; the bill will be returned to the Senate for the president’s signature and enrollment.
