Legislation
Summary
Updated 4/26/2024
The Legislature convened for the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth legislative days of the Regular Session this week.
Two House bills were given favorable reports in Senate committees and now are pending consideration in the Senate:
- HB19, by Rep. Kirkland, proposes a constitutional amendment to allow mayors in Jackson County to participate in ERS; and
- HB123, by Rep. Hill, authorizes the St. Clair County DAY Program to participate in TRS.
Additionally, the House passed SJR50, by Sen. Albritton, which creates “the State Employee and Education Employee Health Insurance Joint Interim Study Commission.” The resolution now goes to the Governor for her signature.
Finally, two new bills dealing with RSA were filed in the Senate:
- SB339, by Sen. Carnley, which would provide a 2% retiree COLA to TRS and ERS state retirees who retired on or before October 1, 2015, have 25 years or more of service, and have an annual benefit of $25,000 or less; and
- SB342, by Sen. Beasley, which would reclassify K9 correctional officers as state police for purposes of retirement and to be retroactive to those officers retired as of January 1, 2022.
Bill Chart
House Bills |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill/Sponsor | Companion | Summary | Status |
| HB19/Kirkland | n/a | Proposes a constitutional amendment to allow mayors in Jackson County to participate in ERS. | Read Second Time in Second House; Pending Third Reading. |
| HB71/Clouse | n/a | As amended by the House, authorizes emergency medical services personnel to receive hazardous duty service credit. | Enacted. Act 2024-105. |
| HB123/Hill | n/a | Authorizes the St. Clair County DAY Program to participate in TRS. | Read Second Time in Second House; Pending Third Reading. |
| HB145/Garrett | SB75/Orr | Education Trust Fund budget; fully funds TRS and PEEHIP. | Read First Time in Second House; Pending Consideration by Finance and Taxation Education. |
| HB201/Clouse | n/a | Establishes a procedure for granting and funding TRS and ERS retiree benefit increases; as substituted in committee applies only to TRS and ERS State. | Read First Time in Second House; Pending Consideration by Finance and Taxation General Fund. |
| HB212/Kiel | SB32/Barfoot | Removes requirement that retirement benefit garnishments for restitution must run through the District Attorneys’ Restitution Recovery Division. | Read Second Time in Second House; Pending Third Reading. |
| HB276/Treadaway | n/a | As substituted, removes any restrictions on retired law enforcement officers who return to work as law enforcement with RSA-participating employers. | Read Second Time in House of Origin; Pending Third Reading. |
| HB440/Shedd | SB300/Hatcher | Would grant a 3% benefit increase for ERS retirees to be funded pursuant to HB201 for state retirees and would authorize local employers to elect to grant the same benefit increase for local retirees to be funded through the employer rate to pay down the increase in the unfunded liability. | Read Second Time in House of Origin; Pending Third Reading. |
| HB472/Pringle | n/a | Provides Tier I benefits to Tier II attorneys and investigators employed by district attorneys. | Read First Time in House of Origin; Pending Consideration by Ways and Means General Fund. |
Senate Bills |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill/Sponsor | Companion | Summary | Status |
| SB12/Elliott | n/a | As amended in committee, removes the earnings limit for retirees who serve as elected officials in positions which are eligible to participate in ERS. | Read Second Time in Second House; Pending Third Reading. |
| SB32/Barfoot | HB212/Kiel | Removes requirement that retirement benefit garnishments for restitution must run through the District Attorneys' Restitution Recovery Division. | Read Second Time in Second House; Pending Third Reading. |
| SB56/Orr | n/a | Terminates retirement benefits for TRS members who have been convicted of certain sex offenses involving a student or minor. | Read First Time in Second House; Pending Consideration by Education Policy. |
| SB67/Albritton | HB134/Reynolds | General Fund budget; fully funds ERS. | Read First Time in Second House; Pending Consideration by Ways and Means General Fund. |
| SB151/Orr | n/a | Prohibits the ERS and TRS Boards from sacrificing investment returns or taking additional risks to promote ESG agendas. | Read Second Time in House of Origin; Pending Third Reading. |
| SB251/Jones | n/a | Prohibits ERS and TRS from investing with restricted entities affiliated with certain Chinese companies. | Read First Time in Second House; Pending Consideration by Ways and Means General Fund. |
| SB300/Hatcher | HB440/Shedd | Would grant a 3% benefit increase for ERS retirees to be funded pursuant to HB201 for state retirees and would authorize local employers to elect to grant the same benefit increase for local retirees to be funded through the employer rate to pay down the increase in the unfunded liability. | Read First Time in House of Origin; Pending Consideration by Finance and Taxation General Fund. |
| SB301/Hatcher | n/a | Would grant a 3% benefit increase for TRS retirees to be funded pursuant to HB201. | Read First Time in House of Origin; Pending Consideration by Finance and Taxation Education. |
| SB339/Carnley | n/a | Would grant a 2% retiree COLA to TRS and ERS state retirees who retired on or before October 1, 2015, had 25 or more years of service, and have an annual benefit of $25,000 or less. | Read for the First Time in House of Origin; Pending Consideration by Finance and Taxation Education. |
| SB342/Beasley | n/a | Would reclassify K9 correctional officers as state police for purposes of retirement and to be retroactive to those officers retired as of January 1, 2022. | Read for the First Time in House of Origin; Pending Consideration by Veterans and Military Affairs. |
| SJR50/Albritton | n/a | Creates the State Employee and Education Employee Health Insurance Joint Interim Study Commission. | Passed Second House; Pending Governor’s Signature. |
2/9/2024
2/16/2024
2/23/2024
3/1/2024
3/8/2024
3/22/2024
4/5/2024
4/12/2024
4/19/2024
Archives
2023 Regular Session (archive)
2022 Regular Session (archive)
2021 Regular Session (archive)
2020 Regular Session (archive)
2019 Regular Session (archive)
2018 Regular Session (archive)
Presentations
TRS and PEEHIP Overview - House Ways & Means Education Committee, February 7, 2024
Legislative Orientation Presentation - December 2022
News
Medicaid Expansion Can Help - Not Break - Alabama's State Budget - April 2024 Advisor
Local Governments - Retiree Bonuses - November 2023 Advisor
2nd Chance for Local Governments Who Missed Out on Retiree Bonuses - August 2023 Advisor
2023 Legislative Session Update - July 2023 Advisor
Contacts
Neah Mitchell Scott,
Legislative Counsel
neah.scott@rsa-al.gov
Twitter: @neahmitchell
Neah Mitchell Scott has served as Legislative Counsel for the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) since September 2013. Before joining the RSA, Neah practiced civil litigation and healthcare law as an associate with Balch & Bingham LLP. Neah obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama in 2008 and a B.A. in History from Auburn University in 2004.
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