An Act To Correct the Law Regarding Portability of Pension Benefits for Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §17656, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 636, Pt. B, §1, is amended to read:
D. If the plan from which the member is transferring and the plan to which the member is transferring are both plans described in section 286-M, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (3), the member Notwithstanding subsection 1, a member of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System who is a law enforcement officer as defined in Title 25, section 2801-A, subsection 5, or a state firefighter, whose previous membership was based upon employment as a municipal firefighter as defined in section 286-M, a law enforcement officer or a state firefighter may elect to make the contribution necessary to include all or part of the member's creditable service and earnable compensation from the prior plan in the new plan. The retirement system shall establish procedures for determining the contribution necessary for such a member to carry forward all or part of the creditable service and earnable compensation from a prior plan or plans. For purposes of this paragraph, "state firefighter" means a person employed by the State with the primary responsibility of aiding in the extinguishment of fires and includes a member of emergency medical services line personnel as defined in section 286-M, subsection 2, paragraph H.
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §18253, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 636, Pt. B, §2, is amended to read:
E. If the plan from which the member is transferring and the plan to which the member is transferring are both plans described in section 286-M, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (3), the member Notwithstanding subsection 1, a member of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System who is a law enforcement officer as defined in Title 25, section 2801-A, subsection 5, or a municipal firefighter as defined in section 286-M, whose previous membership was based upon employment as a law enforcement officer, a state firefighter or a municipal firefighter, and whose service retirement benefits are not otherwise governed by section 18801, subsection 1, paragraph A, subparagraph 2 may elect to make the contribution necessary to include all or part of the member's creditable service and earnable compensation from the prior plan in the new plan. The retirement system shall establish procedures for determining the contribution necessary for such a member to carry forward all or part of the creditable service and earnable compensation from a prior plan or plans. For purposes of this paragraph, "state firefighter" means a person employed by the State with the primary responsibility of aiding in the extinguishment of fires and includes a member of emergency medical services line personnel as defined in section 286-M, subsection 2, paragraph H.
summary
This bill implements the intent of PL 2005, chapter 636, Part B. It allows law enforcement officers and firefighters to carry service credit and compensation from a prior retirement plan to a new retirement plan within the Maine Public Employees Retirement System as long as they pay the additional cost of doing so.