HB223 is a local act applying only to St. Clair County. It authorizes the St. Clair County Commission to grant cost-of-living increases or lump-sum payments to former county sheriffs or revenue commissioners who are serving in a supernumerary office, so long as the county commission has approved similar payments for county retirees under the State Employees' Retirement System. The bill ties any supernumerary payment to the same terms, conditions, and fiscal-year approval used for retiree payments, and requires that the money come from the county’s general fund.
The act is effective June 1, 2025. In practical terms, it gives the county commission discretion to extend retirement-style adjustments to a narrow group of former officials serving in supernumerary status, but only when the county is also making comparable adjustments to its retirees. The bill does not create a statewide program; it amends local authority for one county and affects county budgeting and compensation practices for those specific former officials.
Impact
HB223 changes local law for St. Clair County by allowing the county commission to pay cost-of-living or lump-sum adjustments to certain former sheriffs and revenue commissioners in supernumerary office, using county general fund dollars. It links those payments to the same approval process and timing used for county retirees under the State Employees' Retirement System, thereby affecting county compensation policy, retirement-related payments, and local fiscal administration for a limited class of officials.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial. It passed the House and Senate unanimously, with no recorded dissenting votes in either chamber. The lack of committee transcripts or recorded debate suggests the measure was treated as a routine local bill rather than a contested policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only potential issue is the use of county general fund money for additional payments to former officials in supernumerary status, which could raise questions about local spending priorities or parity with retirees. However, the unanimous votes indicate no visible opposition from legislators in either chamber.