The following is a brief recap of pending PERS-related, but not PERS-sponsored, bills that have recently been filed for consideration by the Mississippi Legislature during the 2016 Regular Session. (HB stands for House Bill; SB stands for Senate Bill.)
Questions regarding these pending bills should be directed to the principal author of the bill. Tues., Feb. 23 is the deadline for committees to take action on these bills.
Pending Bills of General Interest
HB 114 – Philip Gunn – Renames the PERS building the “Timothy Alan (Tim) Ford Building.”
HB 281 – Charles Young – Exempts active and retired public employees, who receive their compensation or retirement allowance via direct deposit, from bad check fees if the sole reason their account was overdrawn was an error in funds being deposited in their account caused by their employer or the retirement system.
Pending Bills Related to Specific Coverage Groups
HB 176 – Jeff Smith – Removes the prohibition on school board members being members of PERS.
HB 877 – Bubba Carpenter – Creates a separate retirement system for law enforcement officers, emergency management personnel, and firefighters.
SB 2161 – Gray Tollison – Authorizes charter schools to join PERS in order to allow charter school employees to participate in PERS.
SB 2691 – Fillingane – Authorize Optional Retirement Plan participants to join PERS under certain circumstances.
SB 2730 – Dean Kirby – Establishes a separate retirement system for first responders.
Pending Bills Related to Purchase of Service/Creditable Service
HB 185 – Jeff Smith – Allows certain members of PERS a brief window of opportunity to purchase creditable service at actuarial cost for service rendered as a public junior/community college trustee.
HB 855 – Trey Lamar – Allows vested members of PERS to purchase up to ten years of creditable service ar actuarial cost for service with non-PERS employers.
HB 901 – Jeramey Anderson – Allows members in the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System with a four-year college degree to purchase up to four years of service at actuarial cost.
SB 2043 – Robert Jackson (11th) – Appears to allow a public school teacher who transfers from one public school district in Mississippi to another to transfer any unused portion of the total sick or personal leave allowance to the new school district. Currently, such leave may only be transferred to PERS.
Bills Related to Post-Retirement Employment with a PERS-Covered Employer
HB 902 – Randy Boyd – Prohibits a PERS retiree from receiving a retirement allowance from PERS while under contract with a state agency as a consultant or advisor.
SB 2082 – Bob Dearing – Allows members of the State Legislature to retire, receive a retirement allowance, and continue in service in the Legislature under certain circumstances.
Bills Related to Forfeiture of Benefits by Convicted Felons
HB 278 – Randy Rushing – Terminates membership in PERS for any member who is convicted of a job-related felony.
HB 341 – Bill Kinkade – Suspends PERS benefits for any member who is convicted of a job-related felony until the individual has made full restitution.
HB 385 – Greg Haney – Requires forfeiture of benefits for any member convicted of a job-related felony.
HB 879 – Oscar Denton – Provides that elected officials convicted of certain felonies shall have benefits withheld until full restitution has been paid.
HB 900 – Oscar Denton – Provides that elected officials convicted of certain felonies shall have benefits suspended until full restitution has been made.
SB 2099 – Gray Tollison – Requires forfeiture of benefits for any member convicted of a job-related felony.
SB 2260 – Rita Parks – Requires forfeiture of benefits for any member convicted of a job-related felony.