North CarolinaNorth Carolina law sets allowance amounts and payment limits for retired officers
North Carolina law provides annual allowances to eligible retired law enforcement officers, with amounts based on pay and service and payments subject to age or service-based limits.
What it does
Eligible retired officers receive annual allowances calculated from pay and service. Some disability-related breaks may be allowed if the officer returns to service within 45 days after benefits end.
Allowance payments end when an officer turns 62 under one calculation method, or reaches a service-based payment limit under the other.
Argument forEligible officers could receive an allowance based on their pay and service, and some disability-related breaks may not disqualify them if they return within 45 days.
Argument againstThe payment limits could reduce income for retired officers who rely on these allowances after reaching the stated age or service-based limit.
More detail
The law provides annual special separation allowances for officers who meet one of the listed service criteria. The provisions cover eligible retired state and local law enforcement officers; the excerpts do not show all eligibility criteria. One formula pays 0.85% of the officer’s most recent annual base pay for each year of creditable service. Another formula uses 0.85% of the annual equivalent of the officer’s base pay when they reached 30 years of service, multiplied by 30. A disability-related break in the required five years of continuous service does not count against eligibility if the officer returns within 45 days after benefits end and otherwise qualifies.
The law provides that allowance payments stop when the applicable age or service-based limit is reached. These limits apply to retired officers receiving an allowance under the corresponding calculation method. For the first calculation method, payments stop when the officer turns 62. For the second method, payments stop after the officer has received an allowance for a period equal to 62 years minus the age when they first completed 30 years of creditable service. Payment stops on the last day of the month when the applicable age or service-based limit is reached.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 2Signed by Gov. 7/2/2026Became Law
- Jul 2Ch. SL 2026-33Major
- Jun 25Pres. To Gov. 6/25/2026To Governor
- Jun 24Ratified
- Jun 23Concurred In S Com SubMajor
- Vote recorded M11 Concur. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 23Ordered Enrolled
- Jun 22Withdrawn From Com
- Jun 22Placed On Cal For 06/23/2026
- Jun 18Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Jun 17Regular Message Sent To House
- Jun 17Regular Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
- Jun 16Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Second Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 16Passed 3rd ReadingPassed Senate
- Jun 15Reptd FavMinor
- Jun 10Reptd Fav Com SubstituteMinor
- Jun 10Com Substitute Adopted
- Jun 10Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- May 28Withdrawn From Com
- May 28Re-ref to Pensions and Retirement and Aging. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- 2025
- Apr 10Regular Message Sent To Senate
- Apr 10Regular Message Received From House
- Apr 10Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Apr 10Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the SenateMinor
- Apr 9Passed 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 9Passed 3rd ReadingPassed House
- Apr 3Reptd FavMinor
- Apr 3Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Apr 3Placed On Cal For 04/09/2025
- Apr 1Reptd Fav Com SubstituteMinor
- Apr 1Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Mar 25Passed 1st ReadingMinor
- Mar 25Ref to the Com on Judiciary 1, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the HouseMinor
- Mar 24FiledIntroduced
Criminal Justice