Oklahoma 2022 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2758 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/21/2021

                    RBH No. 6008 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) 
 
HOUSE BILL 2758 	By: Ford 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to public retirement systems; 
amending 62 O.S. 2011, Section 31 03, as last amended 
by Section 1, Chapter 121, O.S.L. 2020 ( 62 O.S. Supp. 
2020, Section 3103), which relates to the Oklahoma 
Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act; modifying 
definition; amending 74 O.S. 2011, Sections 902, as 
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 112, O.S.L. 2020 
and 919.1, as last amended by Sec tion 4, Chapter 112, 
O.S.L. 2020 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, Sections 902 and 
919.1), which relate to the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System; providing for membership by 
certain military police officers; providing for 
employee contributions; and providin g effective 
dates. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     62 O.S. 2011, Section 3103, as 
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 121, O.S.L. 2020 (62 O.S. Supp. 
2020, Section 3103), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 3103.  As used in the Oklahoma Pension Legislation 
Actuarial Analysis Act: 
1.  "Amendment" means any amendment, including a substitute 
bill, made to a retirement bill by any committee of the House or  RBH No. 6008 
 
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Senate, any conferen ce committee of the House or Senate or by the 
House or Senate; 
2.  "RB number" means that number preceded by the letters "RB" 
assigned to a retirement bill by the respective staffs of the 
Oklahoma State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives when 
the respective staff office prepares a retirement bill for a member 
of the Legislature; 
3.  "Legislative Actuary" means the firm or entity that enters 
into a contract with the Legislative Service Bureau pursuant to 
Section 452.15 of Title 74 of the Oklaho ma Statutes to provide the 
actuarial services and other duties provided for in the Oklahoma 
Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act; 
4.  "Nonfiscal amendment" means an amendment to a retirement 
bill having a fiscal impact, which amendment does not chang e any 
factor of an actuarial investigation specified in subsection A of 
Section 3109 of this title; 
5.  "Nonfiscal retirement bill " means a retirement bill: 
a. which does not affect the cost or funding factors of a 
retirement system, 
b. which affects such factors only in a manner which does 
not: 
(1) grant a benefit increase under the retirement 
system affected by the bill,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(2) create an actuarial accrued liability for or 
increase the actuarial accrued liability of the 
retirement system affected by the bill, or 
(3) increase the normal cost of the retirement system 
affected by the bill, 
c. which authorizes the purchase by an active member of 
the retirement system, at the actuarial cost for the 
purchase as computed pursuant to the statute in effect 
on the effective date of the measure allowing such 
purchase, of years of service for purposes of reaching 
a normal retirement date in the applicable retirement 
system, but which cannot be used in order to compute 
the number of years of service for purposes of 
computing the retirement benefit for the member, 
d. which provides for the computation of a service -
connected disability retirement benefit for members of 
the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System 
pursuant to Section 2 -305 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma 
Statutes if the members were unable to complete twenty 
(20) years of service as a result of the disability, 
e. which requires membership in the defined benefit plan 
authorized by Section 901 et seq. of Title 74 of the 
Oklahoma Statutes for persons whose first e lected or 
appointed service occurs on or after November 1, 2018,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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if such persons had any prior service in the Oklahoma 
Public Employees Retirement System prior to November 
1, 2015, 
f. which provides for a one -time increase in retirement 
benefits if the increase in retirement benefits is not 
a permanent increase in the gross annual retirement 
benefit payable to a member or beneficiary, occurs 
only once pursuant to a single statutory authorization 
and does not exceed: 
(1) the lesser of two percent (2%) of the gross 
annual retirement benefit of the member or One 
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) and requires that 
the benefit may only be provided if the funded 
ratio of the affected retirement system would not 
be less than sixty percent (60%) but not greater 
than eighty percent (80%) after the benefit 
increase is paid, 
(2) the lesser of two percent (2%) of the gross 
annual retirement benefit of the member or One 
Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($1,200.00) and 
requires that the benefit may only be provided if 
the funded ratio of the affected retirement 
system would be greater than eighty percent (80%)  RBH No. 6008 
 
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but not greater than one hundred percent (100%) 
after the benefit increase is paid, 
(3) the lesser of two percent (2%) of the gross 
annual retirement benefit of the member or One 
Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($1,400.00) and 
requires that the benefit may only be provided if 
the funded ratio of the affected retirement 
system would be greater than one hundred percent 
(100%) after the benefit increase is paid, or 
(4) the greater of two percent (2%) of the gross 
annual retirement benefit of the volunteer 
firefighter or One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for 
persons who retired from the Oklahoma 
Firefighters Pension and Retirement System as 
volunteer firefighters and who did not retire 
from the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and 
Retirement System as a paid firefighter. 
As used in this subparagraph, "funded ratio" means the 
figure derived by dividing the actuarial value of 
assets of the applicable retirement system by the 
actuarial accrued liability of the applicable 
retirement system, or  RBH No. 6008 
 
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g. which provides a cost -of-living benefit increase 
pursuant to the provisions of Sections 2 through 7 of 
this act, or 
h. which provides for participation by military police 
officers on or after November 1, 2021, as provided by 
Sections 2 and 3 of this act . 
A nonfiscal retirement bill shall include any retirement bill that 
has as its sole purpose the appropriation or distribution or 
redistribution of monies in some manner to a retirement system for 
purposes of reducing the unfunded liability of such system or the 
earmarking of a portion of the revenue from a tax to a retirement 
system or increasing the percentage of the revenue earmarked from a 
tax to a retirement system; 
6.  "Reduction-in-cost amendment" means an amendment to a 
retirement bill having a fiscal impact which reduces the cost of the 
bill as such cost is determined by the actuarial investigation for 
the bill prepared pursuant to Section 3109 of this title; 
7.  "Retirement bill" means any bill or jo int resolution 
introduced or any bill or joint resolution amended by a member of 
the Oklahoma Legislature which creates or amends any law directly 
affecting a retirement system.  A retirement bill shall not mean a 
bill or resolution that impacts the revenu e of any state tax in 
which a portion of the revenue generated from such tax is earmarked 
for the benefit of a retirement system;  RBH No. 6008 
 
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8.  "Retirement bill having a fiscal impact " means any 
retirement bill creating or establishing a retirement system and any 
other retirement bill other than a nonfiscal retirement bill; and 
9.  "Retirement system" means the Teachers' Retirement System of 
Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, the 
Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges, the Oklahoma 
Firefighters Pension and Retirement System, the Oklahoma Police 
Pension and Retirement System, the Oklahoma Law Enforcement 
Retirement System, or a retirement system established after January 
1, 2006. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     74 O.S. 2011, Section 902, as last 
amended by Section 1, Chapter 112, O.S.L. 2020 (74 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Section 902), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 902. As used in Section 901 et seq. of this title: 
(1)  "System" means the Oklahoma Public Employees Retir ement 
System as established by this act and as it may hereafter be 
amended; 
(2)  "Accumulated contributions " means the sum of all 
contributions by a member to the System which shall be credited to 
the member's account; 
(3)  "Act" means Sections 901 to 932, inclusive, of this title; 
(4)  "Actuarial equivalent " means a deferred income benefit of 
equal value to the accumulated deposits or benefits when computed 
upon the basis of the actuarial tables in use by the System;  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(5)  "Actuarial tables" means the actuarial tables approved and 
in use by the Board at any given time; 
(6)  "Actuary" means the actuary or firm of actuaries employed 
by the Board at any given time; 
(7)  "Beneficiary" means any person named by a member to receive 
any benefits as provided for by Section 901 et seq. of this title.  
If there is no beneficiary living at time of member employee's 
death, the member's estate shall be the beneficiary; 
(8)  "Board" means the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement 
System Board of Trustees; 
(9)  "Compensation" means all salary and wages, as defined by 
the Board of Trustees, including amounts deferred under deferred 
compensation agreements entered into between a member and a 
participating employer, but exclusive of payment for overtime, 
payable to a member of t he System for personal services performed 
for a participating employer but shall not include compensation or 
reimbursement for traveling, or moving expenses, or any compensation 
in excess of the maximum compensation level, provided: 
(a) For compensation for service prior to January 1, 1988, 
the maximum compensation level shall be Twenty -five 
Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) per annum. 
For compensation for service on or after January 1, 
1988, through June 30, 1994, the maximum compensation  RBH No. 6008 
 
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level shall be Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) per 
annum. 
For compensation for service on or after July 1, 1994, 
through June 30, 1995, the maximum compensation level 
shall be Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per 
annum; for compensation for service on or after July 
1, 1995, through June 30, 1996, the maximum 
compensation level shall be Sixty Thousand Dollars 
($60,000.00) per annum; for compensation for service 
on or after July 1, 1996, through June 30, 1997, the 
maximum compensation level shall be Seventy Thousand 
Dollars ($70,000.00) per annum; and for compensation 
for service on or after July 1, 1997, through June 30, 
1998, the maximum compensation level shall be Eighty 
Thousand Dollars ($80,000.00) per annum.  For 
compensation for services on or after July 1, 1998, 
there shall be no maximum compensation level for 
retirement purposes. 
(b) Compensation for retirement purposes shall include any 
amount of elective salary reduction under Section 457 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and any amount of 
nonelective salary re duction under Section 414(h) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(c) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the 
compensation taken into account for any employee in 
determining the contribution or benefit accruals for 
any plan year is limited to t he annual compensation 
limit under Section 401(a)(17) of the federal Internal 
Revenue Code. 
(d) Current appointed members of the Oklahoma Tax 
Commission whose salary is constitutionally limited 
and is less than the highest salary allowed by law for 
his or her position shall be allowed, within ninety 
(90) days from the effective date of this act, to make 
an election to use the highest salary allowed by law 
for the position to which the member was appointed for 
the purposes of making contributions and determi nation 
of retirement benefits.  Such election shall be 
irrevocable and be in writing.  Reappointment to the 
same office shall not permit a new election.  Members 
appointed to the Oklahoma Tax Commission after the 
effective date of this act shall make such election, 
pursuant to this subparagraph, within ninety (90) days 
of taking office; 
(10)  "Credited service" means the sum of participating service, 
prior service and elected service;  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(11)  "Dependent" means a parent, child, or spouse of a member 
who is dependent upon the member for at least one -half (1/2) of the 
member's support; 
(12)  "Effective date" means the date upon which the System 
becomes effective by operation of law; 
(13)  "Eligible employer" means the state and any county, county 
hospital, city or town, conservation districts, circuit engineering 
districts and any public or private trust in which a county, city or 
town participates and is the primary beneficiary, is to be an 
eligible employer for the purpose of this act only, whose employees 
are covered by Social Security and are not covered by or eligible 
for another retirement plan authorized under the laws of this state 
which is in operation on the initial entry date.  Emergency medical 
service districts may join the System upon proper applicati on to the 
Board.  Provided affiliation by a county hospital shall be in the 
form of a resolution adopted by the board of control. 
(a) If a class or several classes of employees of any 
above-defined employers are covered by Social Security 
and are not covered by or eligible for and will not 
become eligible for another retirement plan authorized 
under the laws of this state, which is in operation on 
the effective date, such employer shall be deemed an 
eligible employer, but only with respect to that class  RBH No. 6008 
 
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or those classes of employees as defined in this 
section. 
(b) A class or several classes of employees who are 
covered by Social Security and are not covered by or 
eligible for and will not become eligible for another 
retirement plan authorized under the laws of this 
state, which is in operation on the effective date, 
and when the qualifications for employment in such 
class or classes are set by state law; and when such 
class or classes of employees are employed by a county 
or municipal government pursuant to s uch 
qualifications; and when the services provided by such 
employees are of such nature that they qualify for 
matching by or contributions from state or federal 
funds administered by an agency of state government 
which qualifies as a participating employer , then the 
agency of state government administering the state or 
federal funds shall be deemed an eligible employer, 
but only with respect to that class or those classes 
of employees as defined in this subsection; provided, 
that the required contributions to the retirement plan 
may be withheld from the contributions of state or 
federal funds administered by the state agency and 
transmitted to the System on the same basis as the  RBH No. 6008 
 
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employee and employer contributions are transmitted 
for the direct employees of the state agency.  The 
retirement or eligibility for retirement under the 
provisions of law providing pensions for service as a 
volunteer firefighter shall not render any person 
ineligible for participation in the benefits provided 
for in Section 901 et se q. of this title.  An employee 
of any public or private trust in which a county, city 
or town participates and is the primary beneficiary 
shall be deemed to be an eligible employee for the 
purpose of this act only. 
(c) All employees of the George Nigh Reha bilitation 
Institute who elected to retain membership in the 
System, pursuant to Section 913.7 of this title, shall 
continue to be eligible employees for the purposes of 
this act.  The George Nigh Rehabilitation Institute 
shall be considered a participatin g employer only for 
such employees. 
(d) All employees of CompSource Mutual Insurance Company 
who retain membership in the Oklahoma Public Employees 
Retirement System pursuant to Section 913.9 of this 
title shall continue to be eligible employees for the 
purposes of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement 
System.  CompSource Mutual Insurance Company shall be  RBH No. 6008 
 
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considered a participating employer only for such 
employees. 
(e) All employees of a successor organization, as defined 
by Section 5-60.12 of Title 2 of the Oklahoma 
Statutes, who retain membership in the Oklahoma Public 
Employees Retirement System pursuant to Section 5 -
60.35 of Title 2 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall 
continue to be eligible employees for the purposes of 
the Oklahoma Public Employees Retir ement System.  A 
successor organization shall be considered a 
participating employer only for such employees. 
(f) A participating employer of the Teachers' Retirement 
System of Oklahoma, who has one or more employees who 
have made an election pursuant to e nabling legislation 
to retain membership in the System as a result of 
change in administration, shall be considered a 
participating employer of the Oklahoma Public 
Employees Retirement System only for such employees; 
(14)  "Employee" means any officer or e mployee of a 
participating employer, whose employment is not seasonal or 
temporary and whose employment requires at least one thousand 
(1,000) hours of work per year and whose salary or wage is equal to 
the hourly rate of the monthly minimum wage for state employees.  
For those eligible employers outlined in Section 910 of this title,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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the rate shall be equal to the hourly rate of the monthly minimum 
wage for that employer.  Each employer, whose minimum wage is less 
than the state's minimum wage, shall infor m the System of the 
minimum wage for that employer.  This notification shall be by 
resolution of the governing body. 
(a) Any employee of the county extension agents who is not 
currently participating in the Teachers' Retirement 
System of Oklahoma shall be a member of this System. 
(b) Eligibility shall not include any employee who is a 
contributing member of the United States Civil Service 
Retirement System. 
(c) It shall be mandatory for an officer, appointee or 
employee of the office of district attorney to become 
a member of this System if he or she is not currently 
participating in a county retirement system.  Provided 
further, that if an officer, appointee or employee of 
the office of district attorney is currently 
participating in such county retirement system, he or 
she is ineligible for this System as long as he or she 
is eligible for such county retirement system.  Any 
eligible officer, appointee or employee of the office 
of district attorney shall be given credit for prior 
service as defined in this s ection.  The provisions 
outlined in Section 917 of this title shall apply to  RBH No. 6008 
 
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those employees who have previously withdrawn their 
contributions. 
(d) Eligibility shall also not include any officer or 
employee of the Oklahoma Employment Security 
Commission, except for those officers and employees of 
the Commission electing to transfer to this System 
pursuant to the provisions of Section 910.1 of this 
title or any other class of officers or employees 
specifically exempted by the laws of this state, 
unless there be a consolidation as provided by Section 
912 of this title.  Employees of the Oklahoma 
Employment Security Commission who are ineligible for 
enrollment in the Employment Security Commission 
Retirement Plan, that was in effect on January 1, 
1964, shall become members of this System. 
(e) Any employee employed by the Legislative Service 
Bureau, State Senate or House of Representatives for 
the full duration of a regular legislative session 
shall be eligible for membership in the System 
regardless of classific ation as a temporary employee 
and may participate in the System during the regular 
legislative session at the option of the employee.  
For purposes of this subparagraph, the determination 
of whether an employee is employed for the full  RBH No. 6008 
 
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duration of a regula r legislative session shall be 
made by the Legislative Service Bureau if such 
employee is employed by the Legislative Service 
Bureau, the State Senate if such employee is employed 
by the State Senate, or by the House of 
Representatives if such employee is employed by the 
House of Representatives.  Each regular legislative 
session during which the legislative employee or an 
employee of the Legislative Service Bureau 
participates full time shall be counted as six (6) 
months of full-time participating service. 
(i) Except as otherwise provided by this 
subparagraph, once a temporary session employee 
makes a choice to participate or not, the choice 
shall be binding for all future legislative 
sessions during which the employee is employed. 
(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of division (i) of 
this subparagraph, any employee, who is eligible 
for membership in the System because of the 
provisions of this subparagraph and who was 
employed by the State Senate or House of 
Representatives after January 1, 1989, may file 
an election, in a manner specified by the Board,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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to participate as a member of the System prior to 
September 1, 1989. 
(iii) Notwithstanding the provisions of division (i) of 
this subparagraph, a temporary legislative 
session employee who elected to become a member 
of the System may withdraw from the System 
effective the day said employee elected to 
participate in the System upon written request to 
the Board.  Any such request must be received by 
the Board prior to October 1, 1990.  All employee 
contributions made by the temporary legislative 
session employee shall be returned to the 
employee without interest within four (4) months 
of receipt of the written request. 
(iv) A member of the System who did not initially 
elect to participate as a member of the Syst em 
pursuant to this subparagraph shall be able to 
acquire service performed as a temporary 
legislative session employee for periods of 
service performed prior to the date upon which 
the person became a member of the System if: 
a. the member files an electi on with the System 
not later than December 31, 2000, to 
purchase the prior service; and  RBH No. 6008 
 
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b. the member makes payment to the System of 
the actuarial cost of the service credit 
pursuant to subsection A of Section 913.5 of 
this title.  The provisions of Sectio n 913.5 
of this title shall be applicable to the 
purchase of the service credit, including 
the provisions for determining service 
credit in the event of incomplete payment 
due to cessation of payments, death, 
termination of employment or retirement, but 
the payment may extend for a period not to 
exceed ninety-six (96) months; 
(15)  "Entry date" means the date on which an eligible employer 
joins the System.  The first entry date pursuant to Section 901 et 
seq. of this title shall be January 1, 1964; 
(16)  "Executive Director" means the managing officer of the 
System employed by the Board under Section 901 et seq. of this 
title; 
(17)  "Federal Internal Revenue Code " means the federal Internal 
Revenue Code of 1954 or 1986, as amended and as applicable to a 
governmental plan as in effect on July 1, 1999; 
(18)  "Final average compensation " means the average annual 
compensation, including amounts deferred under deferred compensation 
agreements entered into between a member and a participating  RBH No. 6008 
 
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employer, up to, but n ot exceeding the maximum compensation levels 
as provided in paragraph (9) of this section received during the 
highest three (3) of the last ten (10) years of participating 
service immediately preceding retirement or termination of 
employment and with respe ct to members whose first participating 
service occurs on or after July 1, 2013, the compensation received 
during the highest five (5) of the last ten (10) years of 
participating service immediately preceding retirement or 
termination of employment.  Provi ded, no member shall retire with a 
final average compensation unless the member has made the required 
contributions on such compensation, as defined by the Board of 
Trustees; 
(19)  "Fiscal year" means the period commencing July 1 of any 
year and ending June 30 of the next year.  The fiscal year is the 
plan year for purposes of the federal Internal Revenue Code; 
however, the calendar year is the limitation year for purposes of 
Section 415 of the federal Internal Revenue Code; 
(20)  "Fund" means the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement Fund 
as created by Section 901 et seq. of this title; 
(21)  "Leave of absence" means a period of absence from 
employment without pay, authorized and approved by the employer and 
acknowledged to the Board, and which after the eff ective date does 
not exceed two (2) years;  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(22)  "Member" means an eligible employee or elected official 
who is in the System and is making the required employee or elected 
official contributions, or any former employee or elected official 
who shall have made the required contributions to the System and 
shall have not received a refund or withdrawal; 
(23)  "Military service" means service in the Armed Forces of 
the United States by an honorably discharged person during the 
following time periods, as reflect ed on such person's Defense 
Department Form 214, not to exceed five (5) years for combined 
participating and/or prior service, as follows: 
(a) during the following periods, including the beginning 
and ending dates, and only for the periods served, 
from: 
(i) April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, commonly 
referred to as World War I, 
(ii) September 16, 1940, to December 7, 1941, as a 
member of the 45th Division, 
(iii) December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, commonly 
referred to as World War II, 
(iv) June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955, commonly 
referred to as the Korean Conflict or the Korean 
War, 
(v) February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975, commonly 
referred to as the Vietnam era, except that:  RBH No. 6008 
 
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a. for the period from February 28, 1961, to 
August 4, 1964, military servi ce shall only 
include service in the Republic of Vietnam 
during that period, and 
b. for purposes of determining eligibility for 
education and training benefits, such period 
shall end on December 31, 1976, or 
(vi) August 1, 1990, to December 31, 1991, commo nly 
referred to as the Gulf War, the Persian Gulf 
War, or Operation Desert Storm, but excluding any 
person who served on active duty for training 
only, unless discharged from such active duty for 
a service-connected disability; 
(b) during a period of war o r combat military operation 
other than a conflict, war or era listed in 
subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, beginning on the 
date of Congressional authorization, Congressional 
resolution, or Executive Order of the President of the 
United States, for the us e of the Armed Forces of the 
United States in a war or combat military operation, 
if such war or combat military operation lasted for a 
period of ninety (90) days or more, for a person who 
served, and only for the period served, in the area of 
responsibility of the war or combat military  RBH No. 6008 
 
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operation, but excluding a person who served on active 
duty for training only, unless discharged from such 
active duty for a service -connected disability, and 
provided that the burden of proof of military service 
during this period shall be with the member, who must 
present appropriate documentation establishing such 
service. 
An eligible member under this paragraph shall include only those 
persons who shall have served during the times or in the areas 
prescribed in this para graph, and only if such person provides 
appropriate documentation in such time and manner as required by the 
System to establish such military service prescribed in this 
paragraph, or for service pursuant to subdivision a of division (v) 
of subparagraph (a) of this paragraph those persons who were awarded 
service medals, as authorized by the United States Department of 
Defense as reflected in the veteran's Defense Department Form 214, 
related to the Vietnam Conflict for service prior to August 5, 1964; 
(24) "Normal retirement date " means the date on which a member 
may retire with full retirement benefits as provided in Section 901 
et seq. of this title, such date being whichever occurs first: 
(a) the first day of the month coinciding with or 
following a member's:  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(1) sixty-second birthday with respect to members 
whose first participating service occurs prior to 
November 1, 2011, or 
(2) sixty-fifth birthday with respect to members 
whose first participating service occurs on or 
after November 1, 2011, or with respect to 
members whose first participating service occurs 
on or after November 1, 2011, reaches a minimum 
age of sixty (60) years and who also reaches a 
normal retirement date pursuant to subparagraph c 
of this paragraph, 
(b) for any person who initially became a member prior to 
July 1, 1992, and who does not reach a normal 
retirement date pursuant to division (1) of 
subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, the first day of 
the month coinciding with or following the date at 
which the sum of a member's age and number of years of 
credited service total eighty (80); such a normal 
retirement date will also apply to any person who 
became a member of the sending system as defined in 
Section 901 et seq. of this title, prior to July 1, 
1992, regardless of whether there were breaks in 
service after July 1, 1992,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(c) for any person who became a member after June 30, 
1992, but prior to November 1, 2011, and who does not 
reach a normal retirement date pursuant to division 
(1) of subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, the first 
day of the month coinciding with or following the date 
at which the sum of a member's age and number of years 
of credited service total ninety (90), 
(d) in addition to subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this 
paragraph, the first day of the month coinciding with 
or following a member's completion of at least twenty 
(20) years of full-time-equivalent employment as: 
(i) a correctional or probation and parole officer 
with the Department of Corrections and at the 
time of retirement, the member was a correctional 
or probation and parole officer with the 
Department of Corrections, or 
(ii) a correctional officer, probation and parole 
officer or fugitive apprehension agent with the 
Department of Corrections who is in such position 
on June 30, 2004, or who is hired af ter June 30, 
2004, and who receives a promotion or change in 
job classification after June 30, 2004, to 
another position in the Department of 
Corrections, so long as such officer or agent has  RBH No. 6008 
 
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at least five (5) years of service as a 
correctional officer, pr obation and parole 
officer or fugitive apprehension agent with the 
Department, has twenty (20) years of full -time-
equivalent employment with the Department and was 
employed by the Department at the time of 
retirement, or 
(iii) a firefighter with the Oklaho ma Military 
Department either employed for the first time on 
or after July 1, 2002, or who was employed prior 
to July 1, 2002, in such position and who makes 
the election authorized by division (2) of 
subparagraph b of paragraph (9) of subsection A 
of Section 915 of this title and at the time of 
retirement, the member was a firefighter with the 
Oklahoma Military Department, and such member has 
at least twenty (20) years of credited service 
upon which the two and one -half percent (2 1/2%) 
multiplier will be used in calculating the 
retirement benefit, or 
(iv) a public safety officer employed by the Grand 
River Dam Authority for the first time on or 
after July 1, 2016, or  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(v) a deputy sheriff or jailer employed by any county 
that is a participating employer in the System 
for the first time as a deputy sheriff or jailer 
on or after November 1, 2020, or 
(vi) a military police officer employed for the first 
time on or after November 1, 2021, 
(e) for those fugitive apprehension agents who retire on 
or after July 1, 2002, the first day of the month 
coinciding with or following a member's completion of 
at least twenty (20) years of full -time-equivalent 
employment as a fugitive apprehension agent with the 
Department of Corrections and at the time of 
retirement, the memb er was a fugitive apprehension 
agent with the Department of Corrections, or 
(f) for any member who was continuously employed by an 
entity or institution within The Oklahoma State System 
of Higher Education and whose initial employment with 
such entity or institution was prior to July 1, 1992, 
and who without a break in service of more than thirty 
(30) days became employed by an employer participating 
in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, 
the first day of the month coinciding with or 
following the date at which the sum of the member's  RBH No. 6008 
 
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age and number of years of credited service total 
eighty (80); 
(25)  "Participating employer " means an eligible employer who 
has agreed to make contributions to the System on behalf of its 
employees; 
(26)  "Participating service" means the period of employment 
after the entry date for which credit is granted a member; 
(27)  "Prior service" means the period of employment of a member 
by an eligible employer prior to the member's entry date for which 
credit is granted a member under Section 901 et seq. of this title; 
(28)  "Retirant" or "retiree" means a member who has retired 
under the System; 
(29)  "Retirement benefit" means a monthly income with benefits 
accruing from the first day of the month coinciding with or 
following retirement and ending on the last day of the month in 
which death occurs or the actuarial equivalent thereof paid in such 
manner as specified by the member pursuant to Section 901 et seq. of 
this title or as otherwise allowed to be paid at the discr etion of 
the Board; 
(30)  "Retirement coordinator " means the individual designated 
by each participating employer through whom System transactions and 
communication shall be directed; 
(31)  "Social Security" means the old-age survivors and 
disability section of the Federal Social Security Act;  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(32)  "Total disability" means a physical or mental disability 
accepted for disability benefits by the Federal Social Security 
System; 
(33)  "Service-connected disability benefits " means military 
service benefits whic h are for a service-connected disability rated 
at twenty percent (20%) or more by the Veterans Administration or 
the Armed Forces of the United States; 
(34)  "Elected official" means a person elected to a state 
office in the legislative or executive branch of state government or 
a person elected to a county office for a definite number of years 
and shall include an individual who is appointed to fill the 
unexpired term of an elected state official; 
(35)  "Elected service" means the period of service as an 
elected official;  
(36)  "Limitation year" means the year used in applying the 
limitations of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
which year shall be the calendar year; and 
(37)  "Public safety officers of the Grand River Dam Authority " 
means those persons hired by the Grand River Dam Authority on or 
after the effective date of this act who are certified by the 
Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training or an equivalent 
certifying entity for law enforcement personnel training and who 
perform law enforcement functions as part of their regularly 
assigned duties and responsibilities on a full -time basis.  With  RBH No. 6008 
 
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respect to any public safety officer hired by the Grand River Dam 
Authority on or after the effective date of this act, any earned 
benefits or credits toward retirement benefits from previous 
participation within the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System 
or the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System shall remain 
within that system. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY    74 O.S. 2011, Section 919.1, as 
last amended by Section 4, Chapter 112, O.S.L. 2020 (74 O.S. Supp. 
2020, Section 919.1), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 919.1  (1)  Employee contributions to the System shall 
be: 
(a) for employees except as otherw ise provided in 
paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and, (g) and (h) of 
this subsection:  beginning July 1, 2006, and 
thereafter, three and one -half percent (3.5%) of 
allowable annual compensation; 
(b) for correctional officers and probation and parole 
officers employed by the Department of Corrections:  
beginning July 1, 1998, and thereafter, and for 
correctional officers or probation and parole officers 
who are in such position on June 30, 2004, or who are 
hired after June 30, 2004, and who receive a promo tion 
or change in job classification after June 30, 2004, 
to another position in the Department of Corrections,  RBH No. 6008 
 
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so long as such officers have at least five (5) years 
of service as a correctional officer or probation and 
parole officer, eight percent (8%) o f allowable 
compensation as provided in paragraph (9) of Section 
902 of this title; 
(c) for fugitive apprehension agents who are employed with 
the Department of Corrections on or after July 1, 
2002, and for fugitive apprehension agents who are in 
such position on June 30, 2004, or who are hired after 
June 30, 2004, and who receive a promotion or change 
in job classification after June 30, 2004, to another 
position in the Department of Corrections, so long as 
such agents have at least five (5) years of servi ce as 
a fugitive apprehension agent, eight percent (8%) of 
allowable compensation as provided in paragraph (9) of 
Section 902 of this title; 
(d) for firefighters of the Oklahoma Military Department 
first employed beginning July 1, 2002, and thereafter, 
and such firefighters who performed service prior to 
July 1, 2002, for the Oklahoma Military Department and 
who make the election authorized by division (1) of 
subparagraph b of paragraph (9) of subsection A of 
Section 915 of this title who perform service on or 
after July 1, 2002, in such capacity, eight percent  RBH No. 6008 
 
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(8%) of allowable compensation as provided in 
subsection paragraph (9) of Section 902 of this title; 
(e) for all public safety officers of the Grand River Dam 
Authority as defined by paragraph (37) of Section 902 
of this title, eight percent (8%) of allowable 
compensation as provided in paragraph (9) of Section 
902 of this title; 
(f) for deputy sheriffs and county jailers employed by any 
county that is a participating employer in the System 
for the first time as a deputy sheriff or jailer on or 
after November 1, 2020, eight percent (8%) of 
allowable compensation as provided in paragraph (9) of 
Section 902 of this title; and 
(g) for military police officers employed for the first 
time on or after Novembe r 1, 2021, eight percent (8%) 
of allowable compensation as provided in paragraph (9) 
of Section 902 of this title; and 
(h) for all employees except those who make contributions 
pursuant to paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e) and, (f) and 
(g) of this subsection w ho make an irrevocable written 
election pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection A of 
Section 915 of this title:  six and forty -one one-
hundredths percent (6.41%) of allowable annual 
compensation.  RBH No. 6008 
 
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The contributions required by paragraphs (b), (c), (e), and (f) 
and (g) of this subsection shall be made by a member for not more 
than twenty (20) years and thereafter shall be as provided in 
paragraph (a) of this subsection. 
(2)  Contributions shall be deducted by each state agency by the 
participating employer fo r such benefits as the Board is authorized 
to administer as provided for by law.  Employee and employer 
contributions shall be remitted monthly, or as the Board may 
otherwise provide, to the Executive Director for deposit in the 
Oklahoma Public Employees R etirement Fund. 
(3)  Each participating employer shall pick up under the 
provisions of Section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
and pay the contribution which the member is required by law to make 
to the System for all compensation earned aft er December 31, 1988.  
Although the contributions so picked up are designated as member 
contributions, such contributions shall be treated as contributions 
being paid by the participating employer in lieu of contributions by 
the member in determining tax t reatment under the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 and such picked up contributions shall not be 
includable in the gross income of the member until such amounts are 
distributed or made available to the member or the beneficiary of 
the member.  The member, by the terms of this System, shall not have 
any option to choose to receive the contributions so picked up  RBH No. 6008 
 
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directly and the picked up contributions must be paid by the 
participating employer to the System. 
Member contributions which are picked up shall be tr eated in the 
same manner and to the same extent as member contributions made 
prior to the date on which member contributions were picked up by 
the participating employer.  Member contributions so picked up shall 
be included in gross salary for purposes of determining benefits and 
contributions under the System. 
The participating employer shall pay the member contributions 
from the same source of funds used in paying salary to the member, 
by effecting an equal cash reduction in gross salary of the member. 
(4)  By September 1, 1989, the System shall refund the 
accumulated employee contributions of any member who elects to 
retain the member's membership in the Teachers' Retirement System of 
Oklahoma, in accordance with Section 17 -104 of Title 70 of the 
Oklahoma Statutes, to such member.  Upon the refund of the 
accumulated employee contributions referred to in this subsection, 
all benefits and rights accrued to such member are terminated. 
SECTION 4.  Section 1 of this act shall become effective Oc tober 
1, 2021. 
SECTION 5.  Sections 2 and 3 of this act shall become effective 
November 1, 2021. 
 
58-1-6008 MAH 01/20/21  
 
THOMAS E. CUMMINS  CONSULTING ACTUARY, INC. 
2512 E. 71
st  
Street ,  Suite D ∙  Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136                            (918) 492-9658  ∙ (918) 492- 9659 
 
 
 
 
January 20, 2021 
 
 
 
Representative Ross Ford 
Room 300.2 
 
 
 
Re: RBH No. 6008 
 
 
RBH No. 6008 changes the benefit formula to the Hazardous duty 
formula contained in OPERS for military police hired on or after 
11/01/2021. 
 
The bill also amends OPLAAA’s definition on a nonfiscal bill to 
include the above change. 
 
RBH No. 6008 is a non fiscal bill as defined by OPLAAA with the 
amendment.  
 
I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and meet the 
Qualification Standards of the American Academy of Actuaries to 
render the actuarial opinion herein. 
 
 
Thomas E. Cummins 
 
Thomas E. Cummins, MAAA