Labor & Employment (Retirement Benefits)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 18, 2025

LC 3331: Revising pension laws related to service credit for legislative members

This bill amends Montana's pension laws to clarify how service credit is calculated for state legislators. It ensures that legislative members receive service credit starting from the date they assume office, based on the portion of each year they pay regular contributions. The bill also establishes that retirement benefit calculations will use the plan provisions applicable to the earliest period a member paid contributions, unless they have prior covered employment outside of the legislature. These changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and directly impact current and future members of the Montana Legislature regarding their retirement benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill clarifies pension service credit for legislators, protecting retirement benefits and ensuring fair compensation for public service.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 22, 2025

LC 4305: Changing the amortization period for statewide DB retirement systems to 25 years

This bill changes the amortization period for Montana's statewide defined benefit public employee retirement systems from 30 years to 25 years. It directly affects retirement plans for public employees including judges, highway patrol officers, sheriffs, game wardens, peace officers, municipal police, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and teachers. The key provision requires that any additional benefits added to these systems must be fully funded within the new 25-year amortization period and be projected to be fully funded in perpetuity. The changes apply to multiple specific retirement systems across different sections of the Montana Code Annotated and take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill reduces retirement benefit funding period from 30 to 25 years, weakening long-term financial security for public sector workers and their retirement benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees Retirement Benefits

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Nov 22, 2024

LC 227: Reinstating former employer contributions for JRS, HPORS, SRS, GWPORS

This bill reinstates former employer contribution rates for four specific Montana retirement systems: the Judges' Retirement System, Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, Sheriffs' Retirement System, and Game Wardens and Peace Officers' Retirement System. It directly affects state agencies and employees participating in these retirement plans by restoring their previous funding levels. The legislation amends multiple sections of the Montana Code Annotated to authorize these contributions and includes provisions for necessary appropriations to fund the changes. The bill also establishes an effective date and a retroactive applicability date for the reinstated contribution rates.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reinstates employer contributions to retirement systems, strengthening funding for public officers and employees, which aligns with supporting government spending and fiscal management for essential personnel.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill restores employer contributions to retirement systems, directly strengthening employee benefits and financial security for public workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Retirement Benefits

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 29, 2025

LC 2679: Generally revise pension laws related to the Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act

This bill amends Montana's Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act to increase monthly pension benefits for eligible volunteer firefighters. Under the new provisions, the full pension benefit rises from $175 to $200 per month, and firefighters with more than 20 years of service receive an additional $7.50 for each year beyond that threshold, up to 30 years. For those with 30 or more years of service, further increases of $7.50 per additional year apply only if the pension trust fund remains actuarially sound and unfunded liabilities are amortized within 20 years. The changes take effect on July 1, 2025, and only apply to members who retire after July 1, 2011.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases pension benefits for volunteer firefighters, expanding worker benefits and protecting their retirement security.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 358: Generally revise pension laws related to the Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act

HB 358 revises the pension benefits for eligible volunteer firefighters under the Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act. The bill increases the full monthly pension benefit from $175 to $200. It maintains the calculation for partial pension benefits based on years of service and includes provisions for additional increases for those who serve beyond 20 years, with further conditional increases for service beyond 30 years if the pension fund is actuarially sound. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases pension benefits for volunteer firefighters (from $175 to $200), expanding worker benefits. Directly strengthens employment standard (pension) for a specific worker group.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 56: Supplemental employer contribution for PERS, HPORS, SRS, GWPORS

This bill revises and expands supplemental employer contributions to several state retirement systems, directly impacting state and local government employers and the retirement funds for their employees. For the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), it extends the schedule of increasing supplemental employer contributions through fiscal year 2035 and then sets a higher rate. Additionally, the bill introduces new supplemental employer contribution rates for the Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System, the Sheriffs' Retirement System, and the Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System. These new contributions are intended to help address unfunded liabilities and cover the normal cost of benefits for these specific systems.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state employer contributions to retirement systems, directly funding public employee benefits through enhanced government spending on essential programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands supplemental employer retirement contributions for state employees, directly increasing retirement benefits and strengthening employee compensation standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Retirement Benefits

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 316: Revising disability retirement provisions for MPORS and FURS

SB 316 revises disability retirement benefit provisions for members of the Municipal Police Officers' Retirement System (MPORS) and the Firefighters' Unified Retirement System (FURS). It specifies that disability retirement benefits for these members will remain disability benefits, rather than converting to service retirement, once they reach normal retirement age, and will no longer require medical examinations. The bill also clarifies the calculation of line-of-duty disability benefits based on years of service. These changes apply retroactively to MPORS and FURS members who became disabled in the line of duty on or before January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies disability retirement benefits remain secure without medical exams for police/firefighters, protecting their employment-related retirement benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 700: Changing the amortization period for statewide DB retirement systems to 25 years

House Bill 700 (HB 700) proposes to shorten the maximum amortization period for statewide defined benefit public employee retirement systems from 30 years to 25 years. This change directly affects the funding requirements for various public employee retirement plans, including those for general public employees, judges, highway patrol officers, sheriffs, police officers, firefighters, and teachers. The bill specifies that contributions must be sufficient to cover future benefits and amortize unfunded liabilities over this shorter 25-year period. Additionally, it establishes that no new benefits can be added to these systems unless they can amortize within 25 years or less and are projected to be fully funded.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesShortens amortization period to 25 years, requiring higher annual state contributions to fund retirement systems, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentShortens retirement amortization period to protect public employee benefits (e.g., teachers, police) by ensuring faster funding of unfunded liabilities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Public Employees Retirement Benefits

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signed · Montana · House May 16, 2025

HB 85: Reinstating former employer contributions for JRS, HPORS, SRS, GWPORS

HB 85 reinstates former employer contribution rates for four specific public employee retirement systems: the Judges', Highway Patrol Officers', Sheriffs', and Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement Systems. This directly impacts the governmental entities that employ these personnel and contribute to their pensions. The bill also amends the state's property tax levy calculation procedures, outlining how local governments determine their maximum mill levies based on factors like prior year assessments and newly taxable property. It specifically exempts certain levies, such as those funding the sheriffs' retirement system, from these new

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReinstates employer pension contributions, increasing state spending on public employee retirement systems, supporting fiscal responsibility for essential programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentReinstates employer pension contributions for public employees, protecting retirement benefits which fall under employment standards and worker benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Property Tax Public Employees Retirement Benefits

died · Montana · Legislature May 23, 2025

LC 3676: Revise public retirement systems to include emergency medical services (EMS)

This bill (LC 3676) proposed revising public retirement systems to include emergency medical services (EMS) personnel as eligible for retirement benefits. It would have directly affected EMS workers employed by public agencies by expanding their access to retirement coverage previously available to other public employees. The bill aimed to establish specific provisions within retirement systems to accommodate EMS roles but did not advance beyond the drafting stage. The bill was officially withdrawn ("Draft Died in Process") on May 23, 2025, and no policy changes were enacted.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly expands retirement benefits for EMS workers, advancing worker benefits under employment standards by including a new public employee category in retirement coverage.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits Tags Public Safety

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