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HB 5457

To allow partial credits for times of disability service in the CPRB for Troopers.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Eric Brooks and 7 co-sponsors

HB 5457 adds a half-year retirement service credit for periods of disability service for WV State Police troopers, affecting retirement calculations.

Chapter 211, Acts, 1st Extraordinary Session, 2025
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Bill Summary · HB 5457

Summary: HB 5457 (2026) – Disability Service Credit for WV State Police Troopers

Purpose and Intent

HB 5457 seeks to modify West Virginia law to provide disability service credit for certain law-enforcement officers employed by the West Virginia State Police. Specifically, the bill defines disability service and authorizes awarding one-half (0.5) year of service credit for periods of disability service when calculating years of service for retirement purposes. The overarching aim is to recognize time served during disability as partial retirement credit, potentially affecting retirement eligibility timelines and benefit calculations for affected officers.

Key Provisions

  • Amended Code Sections: The bill proposes to amend and reenact:

    • §15-2A-2
    • §15-2A-6 of the Code of West Virginia (as amended).

  • Disability Service Credit:

    • Introduces a definition of “disability service.”
    • Provides that periods of disability service count as one-half (½) year of service credit toward retirement calculations.

  • Effect on Retirement Calculations:

    • For qualifying periods of disability service, an officer would receive 0.5 service year credit when determining total years of service for retirement benefit calculations.
    • The provision affects how years of service are totaled, potentially altering retirement eligibility age, pension accrual, and related benefits for troopers who have disability service periods.

  • Scope:

    • Applies specifically to troopers and other law-enforcement officers employed by the West Virginia State Police (as the bill text focuses on disability service credit for certain law-enforcement officers).

Who Would Be Affected

  • Primary: West Virginia State Police troopers and potentially other state police officers who have periods of disability service.
  • Secondary: Retirement systems and benefit administrators within the state that administer credit-based retirement calculations, as their computations would incorporate the new ½-year disability service credit.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legislative History Highlights:

    • Introduced in the Senate on February 12, 2026; referred to Finance.
    • Passed the Senate (Roll No. 416) on March 10, 2026; transmitted to the House.
    • Passed the House on March 4, 2026 (with a title amendment adopted).
    • The House transmitted the bill to the Senate, where it was amended, read, and ultimately approved.
    • Governor action: The bill was approved by the Governor on April 1, 2026.

  • Amendment to Title:

    • At one point, the bill underwent a title amendment to clarify the provision as: “A BILL to amend and reenact §15-2A-2 and §15-2A-6 of the Code of West Virginia, as amended, relating to disability service credit for certain law-enforcement officers employed by the West Virginia State Police; defining disability service; providing one-half service credit for periods of disability service for calculating years of service for retirement purposes.”

  • Effective Date:

    • The text provided does not specify an effective date; such dates typically follow passage and signature, unless otherwise specified in the act. If enacted, the effective date would be determined by the bill’s final provisions or general effective-date rules.

Potential Impact

  • Financial/Budgetary: Introducing 0.5 year of credit per disability period could increase retirement liabilities by expanding credited service time for affected officers, depending on the frequency and duration of disability periods and the current retirement structure.
  • Human Resources/Administration: Requires retirement systems to track disability service periods distinctly and apply the half-year credit during benefits calculations.
  • Policy Implications: Aligns retirement credit practices for disability with other forms of service credits, potentially improving recognition of service interruptions due to disability.

Summary

HB 5457 amends state law to grant a half-year of retirement service credit for periods of disability service to certain West Virginia State Police officers. The change aims to recognize disability-related service time in computing years of service for retirement, potentially affecting eligibility timing and pension calculations. The bill was enacted in early 2026, receiving approval from the Governor, and would require retirement systems to implement the new credit mechanism for qualifying disability periods.

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

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