For Immediate Release: April 16, 2024
Contact: Marty Karlon, Director of Communications & Legislative Affairs, (603) 410-3594; public_relations@nhrs.org
CONCORD, NH – Six bills related to the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS, the retirement system) remain active in the N.H. Legislature.
“Crossover Day,” which was April 11 this year, is the deadline for all House bills to go to the Senate and all Senate bills to go to the House. Not all bills that cross over will be enacted into law. To become law, legislation must be agreed to by majorities in both the House and Senate, after which it is sent to the Governor, who may veto the bill, sign it into law, or let it become law without a signature.
Five NHRS-related bills have been passed by the House and sent to the Senate:
- House Bill 1647: This bill increases the benefit multiplier for Group II (Police and Fire) members who were not vested as of January 1, 2012 – and future hires – to 2.5% for all years worked in excess of 10 years. The bill includes a $53.6 million appropriation toward the cost of this change.
- House Bill 1451: This bill provides that mandatory overtime shall be reported as part of the full base rate of compensation for all NHRS members.
- House Bill 1307: This bill authorizes a one-time payment of $500 to eligible accidental disability benefit recipients, or their beneficiaries, whose annual benefit is less than $50,000. The bill also provides for future supplemental allowances and cost-of-living adjustments for accidental disability beneficiaries to be granted without regard to years of creditable service.
- House Bill 1279: The bill provides that the state shall pay 7.5% of local employer retirement contributions for Group I Teachers and Group II Police and Fire members.
- House Bill 436: This bill provides a one-time, $50 million appropriation toward the retirement system’s unfunded pension liability.
In addition, one Senate bill was passed and sent to the House:
- Senate Bill 134: This bill establishes a new disability retirement system benefit for Group II members who retire due to a “purposeful, hostile and violent attack upon such member in the line of duty.”
Nine other 2024 bills related to NHRS have been killed, tabled, or retained in committee by the House or Senate and no further action is expected on these bills.
For instructions on how to find more information on the bills listed above, visit:
https://www.nhrs.org/about-nhrs/legislative-updates/how-to-track-legislation
The status of pending legislation is updated every Friday on the NHRS Legislative Updates page: https://www.nhrs.org/about-nhrs/legislative-updates
The deadline to act on all House and Senate bills is May 23.
About NHRS
NHRS provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to its eligible members and their beneficiaries. The State of New Hampshire and more than 450 local government employers participate in NHRS for their employees, teachers, firefighters, and police officers. NHRS has approximately 48,500 active members and 43,500 benefit recipients. NHRS administers a defined benefit plan qualified as a tax-exempt entity under sections 401(a) and 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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