HCSHB558--SHERIFFS'RETIREMENTSYSTEM
SPONSOR: Hovis
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonPensionsbyavoteof13to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
558.
Thisbillprovidesfor50%ofthemoneysremainingintheDeputy
SheriffSalarySupplementation Fundattheendofthebienniumto
becreditedtotheSheriffs’RetirementFund.(Section57.278)
Thisbillallowsforthesheriffstoreceiveanadditionalsumof
$15.00forservinganysummons,writ,subpoena,orotherorderof
thecourtasspecifiedinthebill.TheStateTreasureris
authorizedtodeposit$10.00ofsuchmoneysintheDeputySheriffs
SalarySupplementation Fundand$5.00ofsuchmoneysinthe
Sheriffs'RetirementFund.(Section57.280)
Thisbillprovidesthatanycountyreceivingreimbursementrelated
totheperdiemcostofincarcerationofprisonersconfinedto
jailsormediumsecurityinstitutions,willpay$2.00perprisoner
perdayofsuchreimbursementtotheStateTreasurer,whowill
depositthemoneyintheSheriffs’RetirementFund.(Section
221.105)
Thebillrepealstheassessmentandcollectionofa$3.00surcharge
collectedincivilactions(Sections57.955,57.962,and
488.024.).
ThisbillissimilartoSCSforSB141(2025).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: SupporterssaythattheSheriffs'RetirementFund
needsstablefundingsources. TheMissouriSupremeCourtstruck
downasunconstitutional thecollectionofasurchargetoprovide
moneystotheFund.Thesheriffsalreadycontribute5%oftheir
salariesintotheFundundercurrentlaw.Oneoptionistoallow
foranincreaseintheperdiemcostofkeepingtheprisonersin
thecountyjails.Theotheroptionistoincreasethefeefor
serviceofprocessto$5.00.ThereisthepossibilityoftheState
providingthefundingandcountiescontributingmoneystotheFund.
Theactuaryindicatedthatinfiveyears,withthegenerationof
about$4millionstartingintheyear2026,thefundingwould increasetoaround82%.Ifthefundingsourceisnotaddressedit
wouldresultineliminationofmedicalbenefitstotheretirees.
Currently,$100hasbeendeductedfrompaymentstoretirees. The
retireesaredealingwithinflationandsomeofthesheriffsare
physicallyunabletotakeupasecondjob.Therearewidowsliving
onapension. Further,theFundisprojectedtogobankruptin
nineyearswithoutadditionalmoneys.Theretirementsystemneeds
tocontinueotherwisethereisaconcernforlackofexperienced
candidatestoserveassheriffs.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hovis;Kenny
Jones;MelissaLorts,MoSheriffsRetirement;SheriffChrisDegase,
DouglasCountySheriff;SheriffStevePelton,MissouriSheriffs
United.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
OTHERS:OtherstestifyingonthebillsaytheMissouriAssociation
ofCountiesislookingattheissuestosolvetheproblem. The
generalconsensusisforthecountiestoputmoneyintheFundbut
somedon'thavetheabilitytopay.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwereMissouriAssociationof
Counties;CountyCommissionersAssociationofMissouri;County
EmployeeRetirementFund.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.