Relating to Judges' Retirement System

SB 1035 amends West Virginia's Judges' Retirement System to adjust contribution rates and benefit calculations for judges. It requires current and future judges to contribute 7% of salary (up to 10.5%) to the retirement fund, suspends court contributions until certain conditions are met, and retroactively treats post-2005 retirees as pre-2005 retirees for benefit purposes. The bill increases surviving spouse benefits for certain judges, removes limits on retirement benefit increases, and eliminates distinctions in calculating benefits for surviving spouses, dependents, and adjusted retirement amounts. These changes directly affect active judges, current retirees, and their dependents under the system.