Resisting law enforcement.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Garrett Bascom and 6 co-sponsors

HB 1188 sought to adjust retirement ages for Arkansas police, firefighters, and sheriffs, enhancing benefits based on service years, but the bill died in committee.

Senators Koch and Bohacek added as cosponsors

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Bill Overview

Bill Number: HB 1188

Title: To Amend Retirement Eligibility Requirements Under Various Public Retirement Systems of the State of Arkansas for Certain Police Officers, Firefighters, Public Safety Members, and Sheriffs.

Status: Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.

Introduced: January 22, 2025

Classification: Bill

Purpose and Intent

House Bill 1188 aimed to amend the retirement eligibility requirements for specific public safety personnel in Arkansas, including police officers, firefighters, public safety members, and sheriffs. The bill sought to provide a more flexible retirement age based on years of service, thereby enhancing the retirement benefits for these essential workers.

Key Provisions

The bill proposed several significant changes to the retirement eligibility criteria under various public retirement systems, including:

Normal Retirement Age Adjustments:

For noncontributory members with credited service as public safety employees or sheriffs:
- The normal retirement age would be set at 65 years, reduced by one month for every two months of credited service, but not younger than 55 years.
- Special provisions for sheriffs:
- Minimum retirement age of 52 years for sheriffs with at least 10 years of service or 8 years of service plus 2 years in another state-supported retirement system.

Credited Service Retirement Age:

The bill introduced a tiered retirement age based on years of credited service:
- 27 years of service: Retirement age applicable for those retiring between December 31, 2025, and January 1, 2027.
- 26 years of service: Retirement age for those retiring between December 31, 2026, and January 1, 2028.
- 25 years of service: Retirement age for those retiring on or after January 1, 2028.

Affected Parties

The proposed changes would primarily affect:
- Police Officers and Firefighters: Enhancing their retirement options and potentially improving job retention.
- Public Safety Members: Including various roles within public safety that would benefit from the adjusted retirement criteria.
- Sheriffs: Specifically addressing the unique service requirements for sheriffs in the state.

Legislative Timeline

January 22, 2025: Bill filed and read for the first time; rules suspended for a second reading and referred to the Committee on Public Retirement & Social Security Programs-Joint.

May 5, 2025: The bill died in the House Committee at Sine Die adjournment, meaning it did not advance for further consideration.

Conclusion

While HB 1188 aimed to provide significant improvements to retirement eligibility for key public safety roles in Arkansas, it ultimately did not progress through the legislative process. The proposed amendments reflected an effort to adapt retirement policies to better serve those who protect and ensure public safety in the state.

Bill