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House committee advances bill to expand state police supplemental pension eligibility
Summary
The committee voted 11–0 to pass House Bill 1188 as amended, which changes how supplemental pension benefits are calculated for pre‑1987 troopers and creates a pathway for 1987‑plan retirees to become eligible, supporters said.
A House committee voted 11–0 to advance House Bill 1188, a state police pension measure that alters how supplemental benefits are calculated and establishes a pathway for some 1987‑plan retirees to gain eligibility.
Representative Davis introduced Amendment Number 1 to HB 1188 and told the committee the change would let school police departments create their own merit boards so the state's public-employee retirement system (MPERS) can allow those officers into the 1977 pension plan. "This amendment number 1 is allowing the school police departments to create their own merit board so that they are not answering to a municipality merit board," he said.
Pension consultant Stan Brown, testifying with state police representatives, described the bill's technical change to the supplemental benefit formula. "They're going from the fourth year salary for a trooper in the pay matrix to the sixth year salary in the pay matrix to determine, what the supplemental benefit increase is every year," Brown said. He also described a planned effective date and eligibility calculations: "if the effective date in the bill is 7 1 of 20 26, there'd be calculations done to see who's eligible" among 1987‑plan retirees.
Shay Rutherford, speaking for Superintendent Scott and state police leadership, urged lawmakers to support the bill as a measure that "modernizes eligibility and aligns benefits across systems" to support retention and recognize service. Retiree Larry Furness told the committee his pension has not changed since he retired in 1989 and urged adjustments, saying, "Since 1989, my pension has not changed ... It's exactly what it was then."
Representative Issa offered a brief explanation of his vote, thanking troopers for their service before voting in favor. Representative Garcia Wilburn said she would vote yes but asked the bill author to review certain amendment language with her after the vote; she said the language raised questions but did not block passage.
The committee moved to pass the bill as amended and approved it on a roll call vote, 11–0. The bill will proceed to the next required steps in the legislative process.
