Several bills adding employee categories to the list of employees eligible to receive benefits under the State Police Officers’ System were laid on the table by the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Compensation and Retirement. The bills were referred to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), which is currently conducting a study of public safety officer enhanced retirement benefits. The existing list of employee categories eligible under subsection B of § 51.1-138 of the Code of Virginia may receive these benefits if their employer elects to provide them. These bills would have preserved that local option except one.
VACo is grateful to the subcommittee and the Chair, Delegate Brewer, for their careful consideration of these matters. A brief overview of such legislation is listed below.
HB 1571 (Walker) / HB 2327 (Cherry) would have added 911 dispatchers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service under the Virginia Retirement System, among other provisions.
HB 2292 (Williams) would have required localities to provide enhanced retirement benefits to school resource officers. The bill would also allow a retired law-enforcement officer to return to work as a school resource officer after a break in service of at least 12 months without impacting his retirement benefits. VACo has concerns over any legislation that would impose an unfunded mandate.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett