Sectional Analysis for HB 206

Credit in PERS for village public safety officers

To: Representative Brian Porter, Attn: Joel Lounsbury

From: Teresa B. Cramer, Legislative Counsel

You have requested a sectional summary of the above-described bill. As a preliminary matter, note that a sectional summary of a bill should not be considered an authoritative iterpretation of the bill and the bill itself is the best statement of its contents.

Section 1 permits an employee who is a vested member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to receive up to five years' credit for employment as a village public safety officer (VPSO). (Under AS 39.35.680(40), a vested member is defined as one who meets the five-year requirement to qualify for a retirement benefit.) Under subsection (b), the member is required to contribute the full actuarial cost of providing benefits based on VPSO employment. Under subsection (c), the credited service granted for VPSO employment may not be used to satisfy the credited service requirements for normal retirement. (Under AS 39.35.370(a)(2), a member of PERS with at least 20 years of credited service as a fire fighter or peace officer is eligible for normal retirement. Under paragraph (3) of that subsection, an employee with at least 30 years of credited service can take a normal retirment.

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97-207.jdr