Labor & Employment (Retirement Benefits)

Establishes a board to design, establish, and operate a state administered retirement program (program) that automatically enrolls specified private sector employees. Requires program compliance by certain employers that have not, in the previous two calendar years, offered a qualified retirement plan to employees. Specifies the powers and duties of the board. Specifies program requirements, including default contribution levels and program fees. Requires the board to contract with investment managers, private financial institutions, or other service providers to invest money and administer the program. Limits the liability of particular parties associated with the program. Specifies board requirements for disclosure, audits, and reports. Requires the board to adopt certain rules. Makes an appropriation.

Requires the state to make contributions after December 31, 2026, that match, dollar for dollar, each state employee's deferred compensation contributions, not to exceed $28 per paycheck. Specifies limitations on state contributions, including the availability of biennial appropriations. Allows in certain circumstances the budget agency to suspend contributions, resume contributions, and make contributions that were missed due to suspension. Specifies a process by which portions of the funding sources for the retirement medical benefits account must be transferred to the state comptroller for the purpose of making matching contributions. Provides as a default rule that after December 31, 2026, each participant's membership in the retirement medical benefits account is terminated, participant subaccounts are forfeited, and subaccount amounts must be transferred to the state general fund. Specifies exceptions. Requires the state comptroller to transfer certain amounts from the state general fund to each participant's defined contribution plan. Specifies a time frame within which a participant in the retirement medical benefits account may elect to remain a participant. Establishes the 2027 retiree health benefit trust. Provides that the retiree health benefit trust fund will be terminated when certain conditions are met. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the interim study committee on pension management oversight.)