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Committee releases bill clarifying state police superintendent's rank; unions back measure
Summary
A5034, which designates the superintendent of state police as holding the rank of colonel and permits certain retirement treatment, was released after trooper association testimony that the change helps the superintendent lead and is not a pension enhancement.
The committee released A5034 on May 24, a bill that designates the superintendent of state police as holding the rank of colonel and permits appointment-retirement treatment without reenrollment in the State Police Retirement System (SPRS).
Union leaders and association representatives filed slips in favor and several testified. Wayne Blanchard, president of a troopers' fraternal association, praised the nominee (referred to during testimony as Superintendent Hagemull) and said the bill would give the superintendent the necessary authority and tools to lead a uniformed paramilitary organization during major events. Blanchard emphasized that the bill includes language intended to prevent any pension enhancement: "...there's no pension enhancement involved here," he said.
Committee members asked whether the measure would place the superintendent above other lieutenant colonels; the testimony confirmed that the bill does provide a colonel rank above lieutenant colonels, and witnesses said statutory language has been tightened to avoid pension enhancement. The committee moved and released the bill.
