Narrow transfer bill for one officer draws agency opposition over precedent concerns

Senator Mary Beth Carozza presented Senate Bill 768, a narrowly focused measure to allow a former member of a local fire and police retirement system (LFPRS) who later joined the Maryland State Police retirement system to transfer earlier local service into the state plan despite a break in service.

Carozza said the bill would apply to one identified individual, Corporal Jason Dykes, and argued the member had attempted administrative remedies since 2012 without success. The senator said the fiscal note and sponsor research indicated limited applicability — the fiscal note identified one definitive eligible individual and the bill includes a termination date — and framed the sponsor’s position as redressing an omission of information to the constituent.

Anne Gothrop, speaking for the State Retirement Agency and its Board of Trustees, testified in opposition. Gothrop said the agency reviewed the member’s file and found no indication of misinformation or agency mistake, that the individual had an 18‑month break in service with intervening employment, and that the plan documents and application explained the requirement of continuous employment for transfers. She warned the committee that granting the exception would open the door to members across systems seeking similar preferential transfers and that such exceptions would not be costless to the system.

Committee members asked the agency whether similar requests are common; the agency said rejections are not centrally tracked but estimated 50–100 inquiries a year and offered to report exact numbers after checking records. The chair closed the SB768 hearing and said the committee would follow up with the sponsor and agency.

The subcommittee did not adopt the bill during the hearing; the agency opposition and precedence concerns will likely inform further committee deliberations.