Committee narrows reemployment exemption in correctional officers' retirement bill

A committee voted unanimously to adopt an amendment narrowing HB 1194 so that an exemption from the earnings offset for reemployed retired correctional officers would apply only to reemployment as a bailiff in the state courts.

Delegate Forbes explained the bill, saying, "HB 11 94 is a correctional officer's retirement system, reemployment after retirement, exemption from earnings offset." She described two amendments: a technical first amendment and a second amendment that "limits the exemption to reemployment as a bailiff in the state courts." Delegate Forbes moved that amendment; it was seconded, taken up, and the Chair announced the amendment passed.

Why it matters: the change narrows an earnings-offset exemption so it applies to a specific reemployment role (bailiff) rather than to broader reemployment, which affects how retirees in the Correctional Officers' Retirement System might return to work without offset to retirement earnings.

After adopting the amendments, Delegate Forbes moved the bill in second. The Chair noted that Delegate Jones and Miss Galtrip had worked on the fiscal note and said the fiscal impact was de minimis. The committee then took a voice/hand vote and the Chair announced that "The bill passes unanimously." The transcript does not record numeric roll-call vote totals or further procedural steps recorded in this session.

Next steps: the bill passed committee by voice vote; the transcript does not specify further scheduling or a roll-call tally.