VermontEligible municipal officers may choose Group G retirement membership
Eligible, currently certified officers in participating municipalities may choose Group G membership, with transfers taking effect January 1, 2027.
What it does
Eligible, currently certified municipal officers may make a one-time, irrevocable choice to join Group G. Their past service remains under the plan where they earned it.
For eligible municipal officers, normal retirement milestones depend on when they joined the retirement system. The allowance is based on service and has a 50 or 60 percent cap, depending on the applicable category.
Joining Group G does not extend postretirement health or other insurance benefits to covered municipal officers.
Argument forEligible, certified officers could choose a retirement plan with age and service milestones that may let some retire before age 65.
Argument againstOfficers may be unable to reverse an election once they join Group G, and this membership does not extend postretirement health or other insurance benefits.
More detail
Eligible municipal law enforcement officers may choose to transfer to Group G. The option covers officers employed by municipalities that participate in the Vermont Employees’ Retirement System and who meet the listed job and certification requirements. Officers need current Level II or Level III certification and must perform law enforcement duties as their primary job. The choice cannot be reversed. The State Treasurer’s Office, working with participating municipalities, must list eligible positions by September 1, 2026. Most officers must choose by December 1, 2026; officers hired from December 1 through December 31, 2026, must choose within 30 days of hire. Transfers take effect January 1, 2027.
Group G sets normal retirement milestones and a maximum allowance for covered officers. These milestones apply to municipal law enforcement officers who meet Group G’s membership requirements. Officers first included in the system before July 1, 2008, may qualify at age 62 with five years of service, with 30 years of service, or at age 55 with 20 years. Those first included on or after July 1, 2008, may qualify at age 65 with five years, at 87 combined age-and-service points, or at age 55 with 20 years. Officers first joining Group G on or after January 1, 2027, may qualify at age 55 with 20 years or age 65 with five years. The allowance is based on average final pay and years of Group G service. Its maximum is 50 or 60 percent of average final pay, depending on the applicable retirement category. The law takes effect July 1, 2026. The age and service milestones apply when a member qualifies for normal retirement.
Group G membership does not extend postretirement health or other insurance benefits to covered municipal officers. This applies to Group G municipal law enforcement officers whose employers participate in the Vermont Employees’ Retirement System. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 12House message: Governor approved bill on May 11, 2026Latest
- May 12Signed by Governor Phil Scott on May 11, 2026Became Law
- May 5Delivered to Governor on May 5, 2026To Governor
- May 1House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- Apr 30Senate proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- Apr 30Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Apr 29Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Apr 28Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentMinor
- Apr 24Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 24New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- Apr 233rd reading ordered
- Apr 23Proposal of amendment by Senator(s) Collamore, Clarkson, Morley, Vyhovsky, and White agreed toMinor
- Apr 23Reported favorably by Senator Westman for Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Apr 23Reported favorably by Senator Hardy for Committee on FinanceMinor
- Apr 23Reported favorably by Senator Collamore for Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Apr 23Read 2nd timeMinor
- Apr 23Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) CollamoreMinor
- Apr 23Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Apr 23Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Apr 23Favorable report by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Apr 23Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 22Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) CollamoreMinor
- Apr 22Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Apr 22Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Apr 22Favorable report by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Apr 22Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 22Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 16Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- Apr 16Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Apr 16Favorable report by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Apr 16Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 16Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 3Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Apr 3Favorable report by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Apr 3Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 3Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 24Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 19Title revised via Rule 41
- Mar 19Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 19Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 18Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 18Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs agreed to
- Mar 18Rep. Dickinson of St. Albans Town recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 18Rep. Canfield of Fair Haven recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- Mar 18Rep. Hooper of Randolph reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
- Mar 18Read second timeMinor
- Mar 18Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 17Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 13Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- Mar 13Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 11Pending entry on Notice Calendar, referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- 2025
- May 20Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military AffairsIntroduced
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