RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 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 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 60th Legislature (2025) SENATE BILL 26 By: Bullard AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 17 -116.10, as amended by Section 9, Chapte r 300, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 17 -116.10), which relates to postretirement employment; authorizing certain postretirement employment for certain time period with no earnings limitation ; updating statutory language; updating statutory refer ences; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 17 -116.10, as amended by Section 9, Chapter 300, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 17-116.10), is amended to read as follows: Section 17-116.10. A. Subject to the requirements of Section 6-101.2 of this title and any other applicable requirements of law, a member may enter into postretirement employme nt with a public school of Oklahoma and still receive monthly retirement bene fits subject to the following limitations: 1. A retired member is not eligible to be employed by the public schools of Oklahoma, in any capacity, for sixty (60) calendar RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 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 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 days between the retiree’s last day of preretirement public education employment and any postretirement public education employment. For purposes of this section, the term “last day of preretirement public education employment” shall mean the last day the employee is required to be physically present on the job to complete the terms of th e employment contract or agreement or the member’s effective retirement date, whichever is later. An employee on paid leave is still considered to be employed for purposes of this section. Employment under any conditions during this time, volunteer services for the purpose of obtaining a paid position at a later date, or payment at a later time for services performed during this time period shall cause the forfeiture of all retir ement benefits received during the period; 2. For thirty-six (36) months following a member’s effective retirement date, the retired member shall be subject to earnings limitations on allowable earnings. Earnings limits are determined annually based on a calendar year. For retired members under the age of sixty-two (62) years, allowed earnings from the public schools of Oklahoma for employment for the performance of duties ordinarily performed by classified or nonclassified optional personnel shall be li mited to one-half (1/2) of the member ’s final average salary used in computin g retirement benefits or the earnings limit allowed by the Social Security Administration for those under Social Security’s normal retirement age, whichever is less. For RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 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 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 retired members sixty-two (62) years of age or older, allowed earnings from the public schools of Oklahoma for the performance of duties ordinarily performed by classified or nonclassified personnel shall be limited to Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) or one -half (1/2) of the member’s final average salary used in computing retirement benefits, whichever is less. For purposes of this paragraph, the following shall apply: a. earnings shall mean regular annual compensation as defined in paragraph 23 of Section 17 -101 of this title, and shall include any payment by a public school for services rendered by a retired member who is employed for any purpose whatsoever. Supplemental retirement payments paid by a former public school employer pursuant to subsection N of Section 17-105 of this title or other state law shall not be considered as earnings, b. the earnings limit for the calendar year in which a member retires shall be one -twelfth (1/12) of the annual limit multiplied by the number of months the member is eligible to work and receive payments from the public schools of Oklahoma, and c. earnings in excess of the maximum limit on allowed earnings from public schools of Oklahoma shall result in a loss of retirement benefits of One Dollar ($1.00) RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 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 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 for each One Dollar ($1.00) earned over the maximum allowed earnings amount; 3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2 of this subsection ,: a. for a period of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2017, members who have retired as of July 1, 2017, as active classroom teachers, who have been retired and receiving a benefit for at least one (1) year, and who have not been employed by any public school during that one-year period, shall be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech school districts, wi th no limitations on earnings., b. For for a period of three (3) years beginn ing July 1, 2021, members who have retired as of July 1, 2020, who have been retired and receiving a benefit for at least one (1) year, and who have not been employed by any public school during that one -year period, shall be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech school districts, with no limitations on earnings. The one -year period starts with the retiree ’s last day of preretirement public education employment. Members returning under this section subparagraph shall not be subject to any earnings limitations following the end of the three - RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 year periods described in this paragraph subparagraph. Members returning under this section subparagraph shall only be employed pursuant to a temporary contract, and c. a member who has been retired and has received benefits for at least ninety (90) days shall be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech school d istricts with no limitations on earnings for a period of three (3) years following the effective date of this act. Provided, a retiree who is reemployed under this subparagraph may not be employed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech sc hool districts during the ninety -day period prior to reemployment. The ninety-day period shall commence on the date of the retiree ’s last day of preretirement public education employment ; and 4. A member shall be considered to be employed by a school district to perform the duties ordinarily performed by classified or nonclassified optional personnel if the member is hired by the school district in the member ’s individual capacity to perform the duties or if the member performs the duties through employme nt with a proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 company or partnership, or any other business structure that has agreed or contracted to provide the services to the school district. B. A public school district that employs a retired member shall be required to make contributions to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma for the retired member in an amount as required in Section 17-108.1 and in paragraph 3 of subsection B of Section 17 - 116.2 of this title. C. For purposes of this section, postretirement employment of less than one thousand (1,000) hours per year with the Governor, the Oklahoma State Senate, the Oklahoma House of Representatives or the Legislative Service Bureau shall not be considered as postretirement employment with a public school of Oklahoma. D. The Board of Trustees of the Teachers ’ Retirement System of Oklahoma shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section. E. A member who has entered into postretirement employment with a participating employer of the Teachers ’ Retirement System of Oklahoma must fully comply with all the provisions of the rules promulgated by the Board of Trustees pursuant to this section in order to continue receiving the member ’s monthly retirement benefit. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1 , 2025. SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby RBS No. 923 Req. No. 923 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 60-1-923 RD 12/16/2024 9:35:48 AM