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Bill

HB 987

Virginia Retirement System; service credit for career and technical education teachers.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tom Garrett

Virginia bill grants career and technical education teachers enhanced service credit toward state retirement pensions to improve recruitment and retention in skilled trades instruction.

Assigned HAPP sub: Compensation and Retirement
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Bill Summary · HB 987

Legislative bill overview

HB 987 modifies Virginia's retirement system to grant enhanced service credit to career and technical education (CTE) teachers. The bill allows these educators to count additional years toward their retirement benefits, potentially improving their pension calculations and retirement security.

Why is this important

CTE teachers often face recruitment and retention challenges due to competitive private-sector wages in skilled trades. Enhanced retirement benefits could help Virginia attract and retain qualified instructors in high-demand technical fields, strengthening workforce development pipelines. However, this increases long-term liabilities for the Virginia Retirement System and impacts state budget obligations.

Potential points of contention

  • Fiscal cost: Expanding service credit increases the system's unfunded liabilities and requires additional state contributions, with exact costs pending final appropriations review
  • Equity concerns: Selective benefit enhancement for one teacher group raises questions about fairness to other educators and state employees without similar provisions
  • Precedent and scope: Approving enhanced credit for CTE teachers could prompt similar requests from other occupational or professional groups, complicating future budget planning

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

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