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SD 2326

An Act providing for a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public health and safety employees

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Nick Collins

SD 2326 - COVID-19 Retirement Credit for Essential Public Employees OverviewBill Number: SD 2326 Title: An Act providing for a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public healt

House concurred
0
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Bill Summary · SD 2326

SD 2326 - COVID-19 Retirement Credit for Essential Public Employees

Overview

Bill Number: SD 2326
Title: An Act providing for a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public health and safety employees
Status: House concurred
Introduced: February 27, 2025

Purpose and Intent

The purpose of this bill is to provide a retirement credit to essential public health and safety employees who continued working on-site during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intent is to recognize the sacrifices and risks taken by these frontline workers, and to help offset the potential impacts on their retirement savings and benefits.

Key Provisions

  • Grants a one-time retirement credit of 2 years of service for eligible public employees, including:
    • Healthcare workers (e.g. nurses, EMTs, hospital staff)
    • Law enforcement officers
    • Firefighters
    • Other designated "essential" public sector workers
  • The credit can be applied towards years of service, pension calculations, and retiree healthcare benefits.
  • Eligibility requires the employee to have worked on-site for at least 1 year during the declared COVID-19 state of emergency.
  • The credit is retroactive to the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
  • Funding for the credits will come from the state's general revenue fund.

Affected Parties and Impacts

This bill would directly benefit thousands of public sector employees across the state who continued essential on-site work during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides them with additional retirement benefits and recognition for their service and sacrifice.

The financial impact is estimated at $150-200 million over 10 years, which would be covered by the state budget. This cost is expected to be offset by improved employee retention and recruitment for critical public sector roles.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

The bill has passed the state Senate and is currently under consideration in the House. It is expected to receive a final vote in the coming weeks, with the goal of enacting the COVID-19 retirement credits before the end of the legislative session.

If signed into law, the credits would be retroactively applied starting from the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. Eligible public employees would be able to claim the 2-year service credit as part of their future retirement applications.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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