Maryland 2024 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB966 Chaptered / Bill

Filed 05/15/2024

                     	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 670 
 
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Chapter 670 
(House Bill 966) 
 
AN ACT concerning 
 
Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System – Reemployment as Sheriff 
 
FOR the purpose of requiring the Board of Trustees for the State Retirement and Pension 
System to suspend the retirement benefit of a retiree of the Law Enforcement 
Officers’ Pension System who is elected as a sheriff within a certain period of time 
after the date of retirement; providing for the reinstatement of a benefit; providing 
that a suspension of a benefit does not affect survivor benefits; and generally relating 
to reemployment of retirees of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System. 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 
 Article – State Personnel and Pensions 
Section 26–403 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 
 (2015 Replacement Volume and 2023 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 
 
26–403. 
 
 (a) Except as provided in [subsection (f)] SUBSECTIONS (F) AND (G) of this 
section, a retiree who is receiving a service retirement allowance may accept employment 
with a participating employer on a permanent, temporary, or contractual basis, without 
any reduction in retirement allowance. 
 
 (b) A reemployed retiree who is receiving a service retirement allowance may not 
receive creditable service or eligibility service during the period of reemployment. 
 
 (c) The retiree’s compensation during the period of reemployment may not be 
subject to the employer pickup provisions of § 21–303 of this article or any reduction or 
deduction as a member contribution for pension or retirement purposes. 
 
 (d) The State Retirement Agency shall institute appropriate reporting procedures 
with the affected payroll systems to ensure compliance with this section. 
 
 (e) (1) Immediately on the employment of any retiree, a participating 
employer shall notify the State Retirement Agency of the type of employment and the 
anticipated earnings of the retiree. 
  Ch. 670 	2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND  
 
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 (2) At least once each year, in a format specified by the State Retirement 
Agency, each participating employer shall provide the State Retirement Agency with a list 
of all employees included on any payroll of the employer, the Social Security numbers of 
the employees, and their earnings for that year. 
 
 (f) An individual who is receiving a service retirement allowance under this title 
may not be employed within 45 days of the date the individual retired, on a permanent, 
temporary, or contractual basis, by: 
 
 (1) the State or other participating employer; or 
 
 (2) a withdrawn participating governmental unit, if the retiree was an 
employee of the withdrawn participating governmental unit while the withdrawn 
governmental unit was a participating employer. 
 
 (G) (1) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO A RETIREE WHO IS ELECTED AS A 
SHERIFF LESS THAN 5 YEARS 1 YEAR AFTER THE RETIREE ’S DATE OF RETIREMENT . 
 
 (2) THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL , AFTER GIVING NOTICE , 
TEMPORARILY SUSPEND THE RETIREE’S ALLOWANCE AS OF TH E DATE THE RETIREE 
BEGINS SERVING AS A SHERIFF. 
 
 (3) (I) ON RECEIVING SATISFAC TORY DOCUMENTATION T HAT THE 
INDIVIDUAL IS NO LON GER SERVING AS A SHE RIFF, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
SHALL REINSTATE THE 	RETIREE’S ALLOWANCE WITH ACC	UMULATED  
COST–OF–LIVING ADJUSTMENTS F ROM THE DATE THE ALL	OWANCE WAS 
TEMPORARILY SUSP ENDED. 
 
 (II) THE RETIREE’S ALLOWANCE WILL BE REINSTATED ON THE 
FIRST DAY OF THE MON TH FOLLOWING THE MON TH IN WHICH THE RETI REE CEASED 
SERVING AS A SHERIFF . 
 
 (4) IF A RETIREE WHOSE AL LOWANCE IS TEMPORARI LY SUSPENDED 
DIES WHILE SERVING A S A SHERIFF, SURVIVORSHIP BENEFITS S ELECTED BY THE 
MEMBER AT THE TIME O F RETIREMENT SHALL B E PAID TO: 
 
 (I) THE SURVIVING SPOUSE OR CHILD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 
26–402 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; OR 
 
 (II) IF THERE IS NO SURVI VING SPOUSE OR CHILD , THE 
DESIGNATED BENEFICIA RY IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 21–403 OF THIS ARTICLE. 
   	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 670 
 
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 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed to 
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 
application to any individual who retires before the effective date of this Act.  
 
 SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 
July 1, 2024. 
 
Approved by the Governor, May 9, 2024.