An Act To Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan To Include Civilian Employees Who Work for the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and Computer Crimes Unit
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶L, as amended by PL 2001, c. 646, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶M, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 646, §2 and amended by PL 2009, c. 317, Pt. E, §§15 and 16, is further amended to read:
Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§1, ¶N is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2017, c. 439, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 439, §2, is further amended to read:
(1) Service credit purchased by repayment of an earlier refund of accumulated contributions following termination of service is included only to the extent that time to which the refund relates was served after June 30, 1998 and before September 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A and B; after June 30, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs C to H; and after December 31, 1999 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K ; and after June 30, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N in any one or a combination of the capacities specified in subsection 1. Service credit may be purchased for service by an employee identified in subsection 1, paragraphs L and M regardless of when performed; and
(2) Service credit purchased other than as provided under subparagraph (1), including but not limited to service credit for military service, is not included.
Sec. 6. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§4, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 2003, c. 510, Pt. D, §3 and affected by §§6 and 7, is amended to read:
(1) If the member had 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the benefit under subsection 2, paragraph B must be reduced as provided in section 17852, subsection 3, paragraphs A and B.
(2) If the member had fewer than 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the benefit under subsection 2, paragraph B must be reduced by 6% for each year that the member's age precedes 55 years of age.
Sec. 7. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§4, ¶B, as amended by PL 2017, c. 439, §3, is further amended to read:
(1) The segment or, if the member served in more than one of the capacities specified in subsection 1 and the benefits related to the capacities are not interchangeable under section 17856, segments that reflect creditable service earned before July 1, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A to H; before January 1, 2000 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; before January 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and before July 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and before July 1, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N or purchased by repayment of an earlier refund of accumulated contributions for service before July 1, 1998, for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A to H; before January 1, 2000 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; before January 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and before July 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and before July 1, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N in a capacity or capacities specified in subsection 1 or purchased by other than the repayment of a refund and eligibility to make the purchase of the service credit, including, but not limited to, service credit for military service, was achieved before July 1, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A to H; before January 1, 2000 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; before January 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and before July 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and before July 1, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N, must be computed under section 17852, subsection 1, paragraph A. If the member is qualified under subsection 2, paragraph B and:
(a) Had 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the amount of the segment or segments must be reduced as provided in section 17852, subsection 3, paragraphs A and B; or
(b) Had fewer than 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the amount of the segment or segments must be reduced as provided in section 17852, subsection 3-A; and
(2) The segment that reflects creditable service earned after June 30, 1998 and before September 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A and B; after June 30, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs C to H; after December 31, 1999 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; after December 31, 2001 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and after June 30, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and after June 30, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N or purchased by repayment of an earlier refund of accumulated contributions for service after June 30, 1998 and before September 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A and B; after June 30, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs C to H; after December 31, 1999 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; after December 31, 2001 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and after June 30, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and after June 30, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N in any one or a combination of the capacities specified in subsection 1, or purchased by other than the repayment of a refund and eligibility to make the purchase of the service credit, including, but not limited to, service credit for military service, was achieved after June 30, 1998 and before September 1, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs A and B; after June 30, 1998 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs C to H; after December 31, 1999 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraphs I to K; after December 31, 2001 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph L; and after June 30, 2002 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph M ; and after June 30, 2020 for employees identified in subsection 1, paragraph N must be computed under section 17852, subsection 1, paragraph A. If the member is qualified under subsection 2, paragraph B and:
(a) Had 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the segment amount must be reduced in the manner provided in section 17852, subsection 3, paragraphs A and B for each year that the member's age precedes 55 years of age; or
(b) Had fewer than 10 years of creditable service on July 1, 1993, the segment amount must be reduced by 6% for each year that the member's age precedes 55 years of age.
Sec. 8. 5 MRSA §17851-A, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2007, c. 491, §157, is further amended to read:
Sec. 9. Transition. If a civilian employee in the employment of the Department of Public Safety, Maine State Police Crime Laboratory or computer crimes unit on July 1, 2020 elects to participate in the 1998 Special Plan of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System, as provided in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 17851-A, subsection 1, that employee must make that election not later than 180 days after the effective date of this Act.
SUMMARY
This bill allows civilian employees in the employment of the Department of Public Safety, Maine State Police Crime Laboratory or computer crimes unit to elect to participate in the 1998 Special Plan of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System. Under that plan, a person may retire at 55 years of age with 10 years of creditable service or may retire before 55 years of age with 25 years of creditable service and at a reduced benefit.