Committee advances bill to let Catawba Nation join police retirement system after limited sovereign-immunity waiver

The Retirement Subcommittee for Finance voted to forward S.127, a bill that would allow the Catawba Nation to join the state Police Officers Retirement System if the Nation applies and meets the plan’s requirements.

Olivia, who summarized the measure for the committee, said the bill would add the Catawba Nation to the system’s definition of an employer upon admission, require the Nation to apply to the board under current law (section 9-11-40), comply with board rules and regulations, and name a requested admission date that meets statutory requirements. She said the bill also requires that any Catawba employee become a member only if “substantially all of the employee's time is devoted solely to the performance of governmental service as a police officer” and that the Nation agree to be subject to state laws, regulations and plan provisions for administration and enforcement; disputes arising from participation would be resolved in…