Bill Text - HB619 (2022)

Designating police and fire dispatchers as group II members of the retirement system.


Revision: Jan. 19, 2021, 8:31 a.m.

HB 619-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2021 SESSION

21-0485

08/10

 

HOUSE BILL 619-FN

 

AN ACT designating police and fire dispatchers as group II members of the retirement system.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Trottier, Belk. 6; Rep. Littlefield, Belk. 3; Rep. Harvey-Bolia, Belk. 4; Rep. Bordes, Belk. 3; Rep. O'Hara, Belk. 9

 

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill designates police and fire dispatchers as group II members of the retirement system.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

21-0485

08/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One

 

AN ACT designating police and fire dispatchers as group II members of the retirement system.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Subparagraph; State Retirement System; Police Dispatcher.  Amend RSA 100-A:1, VII by inserting after subparagraph (g) the following new subparagraph:

(h)  A dispatcher for a law enforcement agency who as a job requirement meets all physical, mental, educational, and other qualifications for the position.

2  Police Dispatcher.  Amend RSA 100-A:1,VII-a(a) to read as follows:

(a) Any [dispatcher,] mechanic, electrician, laboratory or clerical worker, technical expert, or other person employed in a police department or correctional facility who does not meet all the requirements of paragraph VII; provided, however, that performance of such functions by any person who as a job requirement does meet all the requirements of paragraph VII shall not disqualify the person from membership in group II;

3  New Subparagraph; Fire Dispatcher.  Amend RSA 100-A:1,VIII by inserting after subparagraph (b) the following new subparagraph:

(c)  An emergency dispatcher who provides dispatch and communications service for fire and emergency medical services of member municipalities and fire departments or for such services as are under contract with member municipalities and fire departments;

4  Fire Dispatcher.  Amend RSA 100-A:1, VIII-a(a) to read as follows:

(a)  Any [dispatcher,] mechanic, electrician, laboratory or clerical worker, technical expert, or other person employed in a fire department or by the division of forests and lands who does not meet all the requirements of paragraph VIII; provided, however, that performance of such functions by any person who as a job requirement does meet all the requirements of paragraph VIII shall not disqualify the person from membership in group II; or

5  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.

 

LBA

21-0485

Revised 1/14/21

 

HB 619-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT designating police and fire dispatchers as group II members of the retirement system.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [ X ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

FY 2024

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

De minimus

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [ X ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL

SUBDIVISION:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

De minimus

* The New Hampshire Retirement System states it is not able to separate the fiscal impact of this legislation between county and local government, therefore the fiscal impact is shown together as political subdivisions.

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill designates police and fire dispatchers as Group II members of the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) effective July 1, 2021.  The NHRS actuary notes that the bill does not explicitly state whether benefits attributable to past service would be treated as split service between Group I and Group II or if it would all convert to Group II service.  The NHRS actuary states it does not have the participant data needed to perform detailed calculations, but  employers would recognize an increase in contributions for each employee who will be designated as police or fire (Group II) based on the difference in the employer rate times the projected payroll for the eligible member.  These change would have a minimal impact on the actuarial status of the system and employer contribution rates in FY 2024 and thereafter.  There is no fiscal impact in FY 2022 and FY 2023 as those employer rates have already been set.

 

The actuary also assumes that these positions will continue to be covered by Social Security after the change.  Therefore there would be no reduction in Social Security tax for the employer or the member.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Retirement System