HB 66 — Relating to the Retirement Systems of Alabama; to amend Section 36-27-59, Code of Alabama 1975, to remove the time limit for purchasing hazardous duty time for prior eligible service for certain firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers covered under the Employees' Retirement System or the Teachers' Retirement System as Tier I plan members.

HB66 INTRODUCEDENROLLED O7OSWW-1O7OSWW-2 By Representative Lovvorn RFD:

06-Mar-23 2023 Regular Session Page 0 O7OSWW-1HB66 02/13/2023Enrolled KMSEnrolled, (L)crAn 2023-393Act, 23 4Relating SYNOPSIS:to the Retirement Systems of Alabama;

This bill would remove the time limit for purchasing hazardous duty time for prior eligible service for certain firefighters, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers covered under the Employees' Retirement System or the Teachers' Retirement System as Tier I plan members.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to the Retirement Systems of Alabama;

"§36-27-59 (a) When used in this section, the following terms Page 1 HB66 INTRODUCED shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Page 1 HB66 Enrolled (3) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.

(b)(1) Any firefighter, law enforcement officer, or correctional officer covered under the Employees' Retirement System or the Teachers' Retirement System as a Tier I plan member, upon attainment of the requisite years of creditable service or who otherwise qualifies for service or disability retirement, shall be awarded one year of hazardous duty time for every five years of service as a firefighter, a law Page 2 HB66 INTRODUCED enforcement officer, or a correctional officer provided that the person has made the additional contribution provided in subdivision (2) or paid the additional contribution required in subsection (c) for each year of service used in determining hazardous duty time for the person.

For all pay dates beginning on or after October 1, 2011, each active employee who is a Page 2 HB66 Enrolled firefighter, law enforcement officer, or correctional officer, as defined in subsection (a), except those employees participating pursuant to Section 36-27-6, shall contribute to the Teachers' or Employees' Retirement System of Alabama eight and one-quarter percent (8.25%) of his or her earnable compensation.

Any employer participating under Section 36-27-6, by adoption of a resolution, may elect for the increases in employee contributions provided by Act 2011-676 Page 3 HB66 INTRODUCED to be withheld from the earnable compensation of employees of the employer.

(c) Any member of the Employees' Retirement System or the Teachers' Retirement System eligible under subsection (b) may receive credit for his or her eligible prior service provided the member pays to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Employees' Retirement System or the Secretary-Treasurer of the Teachers' Retirement System one percent of his or her current annual earnable compensation or previous year's annual earnable compensation, whichever is higher, for each year of 95 claimed credit within two years of January 1, 2001, except that any firefighter employed by the Alabama Forestry Commission shall make such payment within two years of Page 3 HB66 Enrolled December 28, 2001.

The member may purchase his or her claimed credit in increments of five years, unless the total service credit is 95 less than five years, in which case the service shall be purchased in its entirety.

The member shall provide certification from each employing agency, on forms prescribed by the Teachers' or Employees' Retirement System, of each year of claimed service, as a prerequisite to payment under this Page 4 HB66 INTRODUCED section.

Page 54 HB66 Enrolled ________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives ________________________________________________ President and Presiding Officer of the Senate House of Representatives I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and was passed by the House 04-Apr-23.

John Treadwell Clerk Senate 25-Apr-23 Passed Page 5