Bill Text - SB20 (2025)

Relative to payment by the state of a portion of retirement system contributions of political subdivision employers.


Revision: Dec. 30, 2024, 2:58 p.m.

SB 20-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2025 SESSION

25-0186

06/05

 

SENATE BILL 20-FN

 

AN ACT relative to payment by the state of a portion of retirement system contributions of political subdivision employers.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Edgar, Rock. 29; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 19; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 11; Rep. Simpson, Rock. 33; Rep. Nagel, Belk. 6

 

COMMITTEE: Finance

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill provides that the state shall pay 7.5 percent of contributions of retirement system employers other than the state for group I teachers and group II members.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

25-0186

06/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT relative to payment by the state of a portion of retirement system contributions of political subdivision employers.

 

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

 

1  Short Title; Purpose.

I.  This act may be known as the "Property Tax Relief Act of 2025."

II.  This act renews a promise made by state to municipalities and restores the state’s contribution of a portion of the retirement costs of teachers, firefighters, and local police.  Its purpose is to help ease the local property tax burden, provide property tax relief to the cities and towns, and enhance public education and public safety.

2  Retirement System; Employer Contributions; State Share of Contributions.  Amend RSA 100-A:16, II(b) and (c) to read as follows:

(b)  The contributions of each employer for benefits under the retirement system on account of group II members shall consist of a percentage of the earnable compensation of its members to be known as the "normal contribution," and an additional amount to be known as the "accrued liability contribution;" provided that beginning with state fiscal year [2013] 2026 and for each state fiscal year thereafter, any employer [shall pay the full amount of such total contributions] other than the state, shall pay 92.5 percent of such total contributions, and 7.5 percent thereof shall be paid by the state; and provided further that, in case of group II members employed by the state, the state shall pay both normal and accrued liability contributions.  The rate percent of such normal contribution, including contributions on behalf of group II members whose group II creditable service is in excess of 40 years, in each instance shall be fixed on the basis of the liabilities of the system with respect to the particular members of the various member classifications as shown by actuarial valuations, except as provided in subparagraph (i).

(c)  The contributions of each employer for benefits under the retirement system on account of group I members shall consist of a percentage of the earnable compensation of its members to be known as the "normal contribution," and an additional amount to be known as the "accrued liability contribution;" provided that beginning with state fiscal year [2013] 2026 and for each state fiscal year thereafter, in the case of teachers, any employer other than the state, shall pay 92.5 percent of such total contributions, and 7.5 percent thereof shall be paid by the state; and provided further that, in case of teacher members employed by the state, the state shall pay both normal and accrued liability contributions.  The rate percent of such normal contribution in each instance shall be fixed on the basis of the liabilities of the system with respect to the particular members of the various member classifications as shown by actuarial valuation, except as provided in subparagraph (i).

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.

 

LBA

25-0186

11/19/24

 

SB 20-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to payment by the state of a portion of retirement system contributions of political subdivision employers.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:   This bill does not provide funding.

 

 

Estimated State Impact

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue Fund(s)

None

Expenditures*

$0

$28.0 million

$28.74 million

$29.51 million

Funding Source(s)

General Fund

Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source(s)

None

*Expenditure = Cost of bill                *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

 

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$0

($28.00 million)

($28.74 million)

($29.51 million)

*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 requires the State to pay 7.5 percent of contributions of retirement system employers other than the State for group I teachers and group II members beginning in FY 2026.  The New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) states the proposed change affects the pension contribution rate, but not the medical subsidy contribution rate.  The NHRS indicates this bill does not impact the NHRS unfunded actuarial accrued liability (UAAL) or funded ratio because it does not change the total amount of employer contributions due to the retirement system, only

the funding source.  Because this bill shifts the impact from political subdivisions to the state the

fiscal impact of this bill is an increase in general fund expenditures and decrease in political subdivision expenditures by $28.0 million in FY 2026 and $28.74 million in FY 2027, and $29.51

million in FY 2028. See tables below for more detail of fiscal impact.

 

Net Impact on State Employer Contributions

Expected Employer Dollar Increase (Decrease) Due to Proposal ($ in Millions)

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Employees

-

-

-

-

Teachers

-

$18.61

$19.07

$19.55

Police

-

$6.00

$6.18

$6.37

Fire

-

$3.39

$3.49

$3.59

TOTAL

$0

$28.00

$28.74

$29.51

 

Net Impact on Political Subdivisions Employer Contributions

Expected Employer Dollar Increase (Decrease) Due to Proposal ($ in Millions)

 

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

Employees

-

-

-

-

Teachers

-

($18.61)

($19.07)

($19.55)

Police

-

($6.00)

($6.18)

($6.37)

Fire

-

($3.39)

($3.49)

($3.59)

TOTAL

$0.00

($28.00)

($28.74)

($29.51)

 

This bill does not appropriate funds to cover the expenditures in FY 2026 or FY 2027. Additionally, the costs for FY 2028 and forward would need to be included in the NHRS's operating budget.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Retirement System