RBH No. 7782 Req. No. 7782 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 1969 By: Newton COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE An Act relating to retirement; amending 11 O.S. 2021, Section 50-112, which relate to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System; allowing municipalities under certain population to hire certain retired police officers without reentering system; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 11 O.S. 2021, Section 50-112, is amended to read as follows: Section 50-112. A. All persons employed as full-time duly appointed or elected officers who are paid for w orking more than twenty-five (25) hours per week or any person hired by a participating municipality who is undergoing police training to become a permanent police officer of the municipality shall participate in the System upon initial employment with a p olice department of a participating municip ality. All such persons shall submit to a physical -medical examination pertaining to sight, RBH No. 7782 Req. No. 7782 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 hearing, agility and other conditions the requirements of which shall be established by the State Board. The person sha ll be required to complete this physical -medical examination prior to the beginning of actual employm ent. This examination shall identify any preexisting conditions. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a police officer shall be not less than tw enty-one (21) nor more than forty-five (45) years of age when accepted for membership in the System. However, if a municipality should be found to be in noncompliance with the provisions of Article 50 of this title, as determined by the State Board, then any current full-time active police officer employed by a municipality as of July 1, 2001, shall not be denied eligibility to participate in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System solely due to age. The State Board shall have authority to deny or revoke membership of any person submitting false information in such person 's membership application. The State Board shall have final authority in determining eligibility for membership in the System , pursuant to the provisions of this article. B. The police chief of any participating municip ality may be exempt from membership in the System or may b ecome a member provided the member is not a retired member and the requirements of this section are met at the time of employment. C. A member of the Syst em who has attained his or her normal retirement date may, if the member so elects, agree to terminat e RBH No. 7782 Req. No. 7782 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 employment and retire as a member of the System and make an election to receive distributions from th e System. If a retired member is reemployed by a participating municipality in the position of police chief or in a position which is not covered by the System, retirement shall include receipt by such retired member of in- service distributions from the S ystem. D. A former member of the System who termina tes from covered employment and who has nei ther retired from the System nor entered the Oklahoma Police Deferred Option Plan and is later employed in a covered position with a participating municipality s hall not be denied eligibility to become a member of the System because he or she is forty-five (45) years of age or older. If such member has withdrawn his or her contributions prior to re-entering the System and the member desires to receive credit for such prior service, then the member shall pay back s uch contributions and interest pursuant to Section 50-111.1 of this title. E. Notwithstanding any ot her provision of law to the contrary, a municipality that employs two (2) or fewer full-time police officers with a population of Four Thousand Five Hundred (4,500) or less, according to the latest Federal Decennial Census, may employ a police officer retired police officers who is are more than forty- five (45) years of age and who has never have participated in the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retiremen t System, but such police officer and are receiving retirement benefits. Such officers shall RBH No. 7782 Req. No. 7782 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 not be eligible to reenter and participate in the System. Such police officer shall be counted in the limitation im posed by this subsection. Notwithstanding any othe r provisions of law, the State Board shall be granted access to information concerning a list of actively working police o fficers within the municipalities and agencies under the purview provided by the Co uncil on Law Enforcement Education and Training. SECTION 2. This act shall be come effective July 1, 2023. SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 59-1-7782 CMA 02/28/23