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Panel advances bill reopening municipalities’ window to join police and firefighters retirement system
Summary
A committee substitute for Senate Bill 978 would reopen a window for municipalities to elect into the municipal police officers and firefighters retirement system through July 1, 2027; officers would have 90 days after a municipality’s election to opt in and makeup contributions would be required; the committee reported the substitute to the full Senate.
Counsel explained the committee substitute for Senate Bill 978, which reopens a window allowing municipalities to elect to participate as a contributing employer in the municipal police officers and firefighters retirement system.
Under the substitute, a municipality that elects to participate would make its officers and firefighters eligible to become members if those employees so elect; new hires would automatically be participants. Counsel said municipalities would have until July 1, 2027 to make the election, and officers and firefighters would then have 90 days after the municipality’s election to opt in individually. A makeup contribution would be required to bring service from any other plan into the municipal system. Counsel said there was no fiscal note on file at the time of the committee hearing and noted the employer contribution is paid by municipalities.
Counsel said the committee substitute altered the introduced version, which initially proposed moving some officers improperly participating in the emergency medical services retirement system into the municipal police and firefighters retirement system; the retirement board is in the process of moving assets back to PERS and then the municipal system could accept transfers.
Vice Chairman moved that the committee substitute be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it pass; the committee agreed by voice vote and the substitute was reported. The transcript does not show a roll-call tally or named votes.
If enacted, the bill would allow affected municipalities and covered officers to change plan participation subject to makeup contributions and the July 1, 2027 election window.
