Maryland 2023 2023 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB68 Chaptered / Bill

Filed 04/20/2023

                     	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 71 
 
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Chapter 71 
(Senate Bill 68) 
 
AN ACT concerning 
 
Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System – Crisfield Police Department 
 
FOR the purpose of requiring membership in the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension 
System for certain local law enforcement officers of the Crisfield Police Department 
under certain circumstances; providing that a certain individual is entitled to 
eligibility service and creditable service that was earned before the effective date of 
the Crisfield Police Department’s participation in the Law Enforcement Officers’ 
Pension System; providing that an individual who receives certain service credit is 
not a member of and has no rights to a benefit in the Employees’ Pension System; 
providing for the transfer of creditable service for a certain individual; providing for 
the transfer and crediting of certain assets on the effective date of participation; and 
generally relating to the Crisfield Police Department’s participation in the Law 
Enforcement Officers’ Pension System. 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 
 Article – State Personnel and Pensions 
Section 31–2A–05(c) 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 
 (2015 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 
 
BY adding to 
 Article – State Personnel and Pensions 
 Section 31–2A–06 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 
 (2015 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 
 
 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 
 
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 
 
31–2A–05. 
 
 (c) (1) On the effective date: 
 
 (i) the assets to the credit of the local plan or State system that 
relate to the law enforcement officers, firefighters, or paramedics who elect to become 
members shall be transferred to the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System; and 
 
 (ii) the trustee or other administrative head of the local plan or State 
system shall certify the proportion of the funds of the local plan or State system that  Ch. 71 	2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND  
 
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represents the accumulated contributions of the members as of that date. 
 
 (2) The accumulated contributions shall be credited to the respective 
annuity savings accounts of the members in the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension 
System. 
 
 (3) The balance of the funds transferred to the Law Enforcement Officers’ 
Pension System shall be offset against the special accrued liability to be funded by the 
participating governmental unit as provided by § 21–306.1(d) of this article. 
 
31–2A–06. 
 
 (A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A LOCAL LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE CRISFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT : 
 
 (1) IN A PERMANENT FULL–TIME POSITION BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE 
DATE, AND WHO REMAINS A LO CAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE CRISFIELD 
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A PERMANENT FULL–TIME POSITION THROUGH THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE ; OR 
 
 (2) IN A PERMANENT FULL –TIME POSITION AFTER THE EFFECTIVE 
DATE. 
 
 (B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, IF THE CRISFIELD 
POLICE DEPARTMENT BECOMES A PARTICIPATING GOVERN MENTAL UNIT IN THE 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM, MEMBERSHIP IN THE LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM IS MANDATORY F OR AN INDIVIDUAL 
DESCRIBED UNDER SUBS ECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 
 
 (C) IF THE CRISFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMENCES PARTICIPATION 
IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, AN INDIVIDUAL DESCRI BED UNDER SUBSECTION 
(A)(1) OF THIS SECTION IS E NTITLED TO ELIGIBILI TY SERVICE AND CREDI TABLE 
SERVICE IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM FOR 
EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CRISFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE 
DATE. 
 
 (D) ON JOINING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM 
AND RECEIVING SERVIC E CREDIT AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS 
SECTION, AN INDIVIDUAL DESCRI BED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION 
SHALL: 
 
 (1) NO LONGER BE A MEMBE R OF THE EMPLOYEES’ PENSION   	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 71 
 
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SYSTEM; AND  
 
 (2) HAVE NO FURTHER RIGH TS TO ANY BENEFIT IN THE EMPLOYEES’ 
PENSION SYSTEM. 
 
 (E) THE TRANSFER OF CREDI TABLE SERVICE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL 
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECT ION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE 
EMPLOYEES’ PENSION SYSTEM THROUGH THE EF FECTIVE DATE , AND WHO 
TRANSFERS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM UNDER THIS 
SECTION, IS NOT GOVERNED BY TITLE 37 OF THIS ARTICLE. 
 
 (F) IF THE CRISFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT BECOMES A PARTI CIPATING 
GOVERNMENTAL UNIT IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ PENSION SYSTEM, § 
31–2A–05(C) OF THIS SUBTITLE SHA LL GOVERN THE TRANSF ER AND CREDITING OF 
ASSETS ON THE EFFECT IVE DATE. 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act sh all take effect June 
1, 2023. 
 
Approved by the Governor, April 11, 2023.