2012 PERS Legislation Watch

Below is legislation introduced during the 2012 Legislative Session that may be of interest to our members and retirees. PERS staff is monitoring all legislation and will update this listing when significant action is taken on a bill. PERS staff will evaluate the potential effect of this legislation on PERS and will provide analysis to the leadership in the House and Senate as appropriate.

To visit the Mississippi State Legislature website, click here. For information on the process related to a bill becoming law, click here.

The next important legislative deadline is March 6, the deadline for bills to report out of committee. For the complete legislative timetable, click here.

Updated 02-22-2012
Clicking on the bill number below will take you to a web page for access to the text of the bill and the bill history. Clicking the name to the right of each bill number below will take you to a web page with the primary author’s biography.

HB 102 - Morgan
Relating to providing that county and municipal election commissioners shall receive creditable service in the Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi for their terms of office.

          Bill History: 02-06-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 141 - Upshaw
Relating to providing that county and municipality election commissioners shall receive creditable service in PERS for their terms of office.

          Bill History: 02-07-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 325 - Snowden
Relating to directing the board of trustees of the Public Employees' Retirement System to issue requests for proposals to investment managers for the establishment of international equity investment strategies.

          Bill History: 02-13-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 366 - Stringer
Relating to allowing retired Highway Safety Patrol officers to be reemployed after retirement under certain circumstances.

          Bill History: 02-13-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 517 - Frierson On behalf of PERS of MS
Relating to revising certain definitions relating to the law's governing the Public Employees' Retirement System. Click here to view summary of bill.

          Bill History: 02-13-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 763 - Currie
Relating to requiring all employees of the State Department of Mental Health who are provided housing on the grounds of a hospital to pay the fair market rental value of the housing.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Public Health
          and Human Services

HB 839 - Staples
Relating to prohibiting certain public bodies from investing any funds under their control or management in entities that have direct financial relationships with countries against which the United States has an imposed embargo.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 903 - Mettetal
Relating to authorizing counties to pay to PERS the required employer contributions on the net fee income of each constable holding office in the county.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 925 - Mettetal
Relating to increasing the amount of compensation that a retiree who is serving as a constable may receive for that office and continue to receive a retirement allowance.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Fees and           Salaries of Public Officers
          02-20-12 H and also referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 946 - Flaggs
Relating to providing that all persons who become members of the state legislature for the first time after January 1, 2012 shall not become members of the supplemental legislative retirement plan

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 1113 - Mayo
Relating to providing that all persons who become members of the State Legislature for the first time after January 1, 2012, shall not become members of the Supplemental Legislative Retirement Plan.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 1115 - Currie
Relating to providing that the value of any maintenance furnished to members of PERS that is not paid in money shall not be included in the earned compensation of the members for retirement purposes.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 1222 - Flaggs
Relating to increasing the fee charged by the Department of Public Safety for deposit in the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 1236 - Horan
Relating to authorizing counties and municipalities to pay the full cost of the health insurance premiums for retirees who have been reemployed by the county or municipality under the provisions of PERS Law.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Insurance.
          02-20-12 H and also referred to committee on House Appropriations

HB 1240 - Baria
Relating to increasing the amount of the fee that is charged by the Department of Public Safety for an abstract of a person's motor vehicle operating record.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Transportation.           02-20-12 H and also referred to committee on House Appropriations

HCR 34 - Reynolds
Relating to amending the Mississippi Constitution to set forth the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees' Retirement System.

          Bill History: 02-13-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Constitution
          02-13-12 H and also referred to committee on House Rules

HCR 49 - Flaggs
Relating to amending the joint rules to require a 2/3 vote on bills that adversely affect benefits of members of PERS.

          Bill History: 02-17-12 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Rules

SB 2063 - Butler (38th)
Relating to providing that certain persons receiving a retirement allowance from PERS who are retired teachers may continue to receive retirement as well as a salary.

          Bill History: 01-12-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Education
          01-12-12 S and also referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2077 - Fillingane
Relating to including earned compensation of members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals with retirement.

          Bill History: 01-12-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2141 - Fillingane
Relating to authorizing employees of Institutions of Higher Learning who are participants in the optional retirement plan to participate in retirement incentive programs offered by Institutions of Higher Learning.

          Bill History: 01-16-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2147 - Jordan
Relating to providing that certain persons receiving a retirement allowance from PERS who are employed as teachers in the public school system after their retirement, may receive a retirement allowance in addition to salary.

          Bill History: 01-17-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Education
          01-17-12 S and also referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2149 - Jackson (32nd)
Relating to authorizing public school districts to pay with local funds the full cost of the health insurance premiums for retired members of PERS who are employed as school bus drivers by the school districts.

          Bill History: 01-17-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Education           01-17-12 S and also referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2218 - Fillingane On behalf of PERS of MS
Relating to revising certain definitions relating to the laws governing the Public Employees' Retirement System. Click here to view summary of bill.

          Bill History: 01-23-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2275 - McDaniel
Relating to requiring that no public funds shall be in any financial investment that has relationships with terrorist-sponsoring nations.

          Bill History: 01-30-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2423 - Harden
Relating to providing that retired teachers may draw retirement benefits and be reemployed as teachers if they have 25 years of creditable service.

           Bill History: 02-16-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Education
           02-16-12 S and also referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2456 - Harden
Relating to authorizing local school districts to make a one-time payment to teachers for unused sick leave credited during the current school year equal to the substitute teacher's rate.

          Bill History: 02-16-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Education.
          02-16-12 S and also referred to committee on Senate Appropriations

SB 2496 - Blount
Relating to authorizing counties to pay to PERS the required employer contributions on the net fee income of each constable holding office in the county.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2520 - Harden
Relating to authorizing retirees to be employed in state service and draw a retirement allowance for a period of time not to exceed 195 days in any fiscal year.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance

SB 2523 - Harden
Relating to creating the Deferred Retirement Option Program.

          Bill History: 02-20-12 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Finance