Kansas House Bill HB2006

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Refer: 1/14/25
• Introduced: 1/13/25

Caption

Providing membership in the KP&F retirement system for certain security officers of the department of corrections and allowing certain service credit purchases of previous KPERS security officer service for purposes of KP&F retirement benefits.

Summary

HB 2006 would move certain Department of Corrections security officers from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) into the Kansas Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (KP&F), beginning July 1, 2025. The bill makes the Department of Corrections an eligible employer for KP&F purposes and requires security officers employed on or after the department’s entry date to become members of KP&F. It also sets the employee contribution rate at 7.15% of compensation and requires the employer to make the corresponding contributions needed to fund the system obligations. The bill also creates a mechanism for affected security officers to buy service credit for prior periods of active service as security officers while they were in KPERS. Those purchases can be made either through ongoing additional contributions or through a lump-sum payment, with the cost determined actuarially based on age, salary, and system assumptions. Purchased service would be recredited to KP&F and count toward retirement benefits, death benefits, or disability benefits under the police and firemen’s retirement framework, subject to existing statutory limits.

Impact

HB 2006 would amend Kansas retirement law by adding a new category of KP&F membership for Department of Corrections security officers and by tying those employees to the KP&F benefit structure rather than KPERS for future service. It would require budgetary planning for employer contributions, direct payroll deductions from affected employees, and administrative action by the Department of Corrections and the retirement system board to implement affiliation. The bill also affects retirement credit calculations by allowing prior KPERS security officer service to be converted into KP&F participating service credit, which could increase future retirement liabilities and benefits for eligible members.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears policy-driven and supportive of a targeted retirement classification change for a specific group of state employees. The measure is framed as a retirement benefit and workforce classification bill rather than a broad pension overhaul, suggesting a technical and administrative purpose. No explicit opposition, amendments, or recorded vote patterns are available in the provided context.

Contention

The main points of contention likely concern cost and pension treatment. Moving Department of Corrections security officers into KP&F could increase employer contribution obligations and long-term retirement system liabilities, which may raise budget concerns for the state and the Department of Corrections. Another possible issue is fairness and eligibility: the bill grants a special retirement pathway to a defined class of security officers and allows them to purchase prior KPERS service credit, which could be viewed as a benefit enhancement relative to other state employees. However, no specific objections or supporters are documented in the provided transcripts or vote history.