State police retirees could qualify for extra pension payments

Eligible state police retirees would receive extra pension payments. Service beyond 25 years would raise those payments. This covers retirees in the state police's 1987 pension system, including people who received retirement benefits before July 1, 2026. Retirees must be at least 55, have 25 years of state police service, and qualify for retirement benefits. The extra payment would rise by 5% for each year of service beyond 25, up to 35 years. These provisions would take effect July 1, 2026. First payments and increases would begin in July each year.

School districts and charter schools could enroll their police departments in the 1977 police and firefighter pension fund. This applies to school districts and charter schools with their own police departments. Officers employed when a school joins would enter the fund unless the school keeps them in the public employees' retirement fund. Officers joining despite the usual age limit must meet the required fitness and other standards. The rules would take effect July 1, 2026. The choice for current officers applies when a school joins the fund.

Schools employing school resource officers would make an agreement with a local police agency for pension reporting and payments. This applies to school districts and charter schools that employ school resource officers. An officer already in the public employees' retirement fund could stay in that fund. The requirement would take effect July 1, 2026.

School hiring bodies would waive the age restriction for qualifying veteran school resource officers. Those officers would be eligible for the 1977 pension fund. This covers school resource officers who are veterans and no older than 40 years and six months. It excludes officers employed by a school's own police department. The veteran must have at least 20 years of military service and meet the bill's discharge rule. The veteran must also meet all other hiring requirements, including physical standards. The waiver would take effect July 1, 2026.