Video & Transcript Research : 'firefighter pension'

Page 1 of 172
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Ways and Means Committee 5/18/25

Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm new to this space and the pensions.
  • I've been in and the pensions.
  • The 2025 pension bill has a Committee.
  • pension adjustment revenue line. pension adjustment revenue line.
  • General education aid pension adjustment revenue.
Bills: SF2884, HF1889
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Retirement May 11th, 2026

Retirement

Transcript Highlights:
  • HB 41, by Representative Vuit, provides relative to board membership of the firefighter retirement system
  • And Chad Major with the firefighters...” “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I hear you.
  • I'm the General Counsel for the Firefighters Retirement System. Okay. And I'm talking about costs.
  • Chad Major, Representative Professional Firefighters.” “Yes, sir. Thank you.
  • Chad Major, Representative Professional Firefighters.
Bills: HB41
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • I believe that this bill will ensure the health of our pensions.
  • retired firefighters, and I'm speaking here today on behalf of the Firefighters Association.
  • As I'm sure this committee is aware, the City of Austin and the Austin Firefighters Pension Subdivision
  • system previously had opposing pension bills this session.
  • Together, we've designed a good pension bill.
Bills: SB771, SB2345, HB135, HB135
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Retirement May 5th, 2026

Retirement

Transcript Highlights:
  • That's what we're doing on the MEPERS side, on Firefighters' Retirement System, partial dissolution.
  • Firefighters seem to be happy with it as well. So in short, we like it.
  • Shane Spellman, Professional Firefighters, in support.
  • Shane Spellman, Professional Firefighters, is in support. We have Taylor Comp with MEPERS.
  • White card and added borderline firefighters' retirement system, white cards only. And motion.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Feb 10th, 2026 at 03:00 pm

Banking, Financial Services and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:
  • must provide a written commitment to follow standards, making sure that a proxy advisor used in our pension
  • based on fiduciary duties and not utilizing ESG or other DEI metrics, and votes for proxy of our pension
  • Chairman, House Bill 3265 is a request from the police pension board. It's pretty simple.
  • I'm the director of the police pension.
  • There's a lot of pension bills that went out.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Banking, Financial Services and Pensions REVISED: HB1182 - Removed Feb 17th, 2026 at 03:00 pm

Banking, Financial Services and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:
  • We are adding a five-year drop to their pension retirement, similar to firefighters.
  • Drop to their pension retirement, similar to firefighters and FOP.
  • other pension systems, we, to keep the pension system whole, we have made... ...to keep the pension
  • Depending on per pension, or your per pension fund, I think the total of all the pension funds for increase
  • Chase Rankin with the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension System.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
  • For our pension systems? Thank you.
  • I think the fiduciary responsibility to the pensioners is paramount.
  • For those police officers and firefighters, it brings it up to a livable wage.
  • This is a request bill from the Police Pension Board.
  • Which was removed in 2012 to help shore up pension plans.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Mar 31st, 2025

Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • The Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services will come to order.
  • My name is Stephen Kars, and I'm an active firefighter for the city.
  • by contributions from active firefighters, police officers, and the city of San Antonio.
  • This is a cleanup bill for the Pension Review Board that clarifies existing requirements.
  • First, the bill would require the Pension Review Board...
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

03/25/2026 - House Ways & Means

Ways & Means

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee considered a series of Senate bills and one concurrent resolution, with several measures involving virtual currency, county tax liens, tax conformity, and retirement system investments. The chair announced that Senate Bill 1503 would be held at the sponsor’s request and noted this was likely the committee’s last meeting of the session. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 1042, which would allow state treasurer and retirement system funds to invest up to 10% in virtual currency holdings, and Senate Bill 1043, which would allow state agencies to accept virtual currency payments through agreements with providers. Members raised concerns about volatility and government involvement, but both bills were described as permissive rather than mandatory and were returned with due pass recommendations by 5-3 votes. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1067, dealing with county cleanup assessments for blighted properties in unincorporated areas. Chairman Olson offered an amendment removing the bill’s property-tax-bill mechanism and instead preserving county liens so cleanup costs could survive a tax lien sale. County representatives and the County Supervisors Association supported the amended approach as a way to recover costs and make counties whole. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill as amended passed 8-0. Senate Bill 1292, clarifying that the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System’s 5% voting-stock cap applies to publicly traded corporations, also passed with broad support after testimony from PSPRS. Two tax-administration bills prompted extended debate. Senate Bill 1180 would direct the Department of Revenue to prepare tax forms based on conformity to the Internal Revenue Code unless the legislature enacts nonconformity; Chairman Olson’s amendment limited the presumption to provisions that reduce federal adjusted gross income or taxable income, reflecting concerns about automatic tax increases. The sponsor said the bill was meant to clarify legislative intent and prevent executive overreach, while several members said the amended version was materially different from the original. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed 5-3. Senate Bill 1221 would require DOR to notify the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance chairs before adopting new interpretations or applications of tax law that adversely affect taxpayers and to testify if hearings are held; an intent amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 5-3 amid debate over the meaning of “adversely.” Finally, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1033, which encourages the Arizona State Retirement System and PSPRS to monitor digital asset exchange-traded funds and report on feasibility, risks, and benefits before the next session, was approved 5-3. Some members objected to the use of “encourage” and to the underlying cryptocurrency policy, while supporters said the resolution simply sought information and did not mandate investment. The committee then adjourned.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Retirement and Government Resources Apr 14th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Retirement and Government Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Pension systems, and it requires that both the boards and any proxy advisors that they might use focus
  • So you're saying this now aligns with the pension boards' missions. Thank you for the question.
  • are to be made to the maximum pecuniary benefit of the pension holders and not be distracted by other
  • maintain that authority and control over their pensions and not farm them out to entities that might
  • who do such a wonderful job to be completely focused on return for the pension holders.
DE

Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Appropriations Committee Meeting Jun 23rd, 2026

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senator Holoski, an act to amend Title 30 of the Delaware Code relating to exclusion of military pensions
  • Right now, military retirees can subtract up to $12,500 of their pension income from their taxable income
  • designed to make Delaware more attractive to military retirees by reducing the tax burden on their pension
  • spouses have been in the military and both retired from the military, to have a $25,000 military pension
  • As the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters president, we are in full support of this bill, and we ask that
Bills: SB219, SB9
Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met to hear several bills, with members repeatedly reminded to focus on fiscal impacts rather than policy merits. The committee first considered SB 9 on freshwater wetlands, which would combine tidal and non-tidal wetlands programs into one permitting framework; supporters said the bill resulted from a two-year consensus process and that the governor’s office and DENREC would absorb a significant share of the cost. Public testimony was largely supportive, emphasizing flood control and ecosystem services, though one speaker opposed the spending. The committee voted to release SB 9. The committee then heard SB 278 on child care assistance, which would preauthorize summer camp for eligible school-age children and create a separate lower co-payment for half-day care. The sponsor and the YMCA of Delaware said the change would better align family co-pays with provider reimbursement and make before- and after-school care more affordable for working families. The committee also released SB 278, SB 168 on alcohol delivery for package stores, SB 120 on health insurance coverage for certain testing and treatment, and HB 4, a pilot program for artificial intelligence and extended reality in schools; HB 4 was described as having a near-$3 million fiscal note and a one-year implementation delay because it was not funded in the budget. Later, the committee approved SB 219, which gradually increases the military pension income tax exclusion from $12,500 to $25,000 over three years and includes related joint-filing and residency changes. Supporters argued it would help attract and retain military retirees and bring federal dollars into the state. The committee also released SB 1, a major primary care reform bill that would increase primary care spending and implement hospital payment reforms, with projected long-term savings to the state employee health plan, and SB 325, which expands background checks and wrap-back monitoring for fire service personnel and adds an investigator position for the Fire Prevention Commission. In each case, public commenters and committee members generally supported the bills, and all were released from committee by recorded vote.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • has never really had a briefing on our pension systems and everything.
  • So, basically pension liabilities are all predicated on a whole slew of estimates.
  • :22.080> are So, basically pension liabilities are So, basically pension liabilities are all<00
  • One of the bright spots of Kentucky is really on the pension side.
  • Not every state pre-funds pension side.
Summary: The committee held its first official interim meeting after merging the General Government and Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement committees, establishing a quorum and opening with the pledge and prayer. Members then received a briefing from KPPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Aaron Sarock on the state retirement systems, including KERS, CERS, and SPRS, and on the importance of fully funding the actuarially determined employer contribution, supplemental appropriations, and investment earnings in reducing unfunded liabilities. They said the systems have made progress toward a statutory closed amortization target of 2049 and emphasized that supplemental funding lowers current employer contribution rates but does not change that end date. A major topic was federal and state reemployment-after-retirement rules for retirees who return to work with participating employers. KPPA explained that retirees must have a bona fide separation from service, no prearranged agreement to return, and generally a one-calendar-month break in service for retirees on or after January 1, 2024. If a member fails to comply, retirement benefits can be voided, payments stopped, health coverage ended, and benefits repaid. The presenters also noted that rehired retirees do not earn a second retirement account, and employers rehiring them must pay employer contributions and, in non-exempt cases, reimburse health insurance costs. Members asked about the scale of rehired retirees and the difference between employer contribution and health insurance reimbursement amounts. KPPA said that in fiscal year 2025 there were over 3,500 rehired retirees in CERS and over 5,000 in SPRS, with substantial employer contributions and health reimbursement payments collected. They also explained that some positions are exempt from these chargebacks, including school resource officers and certain law enforcement positions that meet statutory criteria. The committee discussed House Bill 213, which allows cities, sheriffs’ departments, and post-secondary institutions to offer health insurance to rehired officers if authorized by the governing body, effective August 1, 2026, and clarifies the fiscal-year basis for certain exemption limits. No votes were taken.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Retirement and Government Resources REVISED Apr 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am

Retirement and Government Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • the statute a policy of the state of Oklahoma emphasizing that we are looking specifically to our pension
  • I don't believe the difference in the definitions is material, but when you are a pension system and
  • funds and all the pensioners.
  • I mean, I'm just wondering if this implies that that pension holders pen pension beneficiaries can expect
  • Pension funds would say we're going to do business with you, but you must have a policy that aligns with
Bills: HB1170
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/02/2026 - Senate Finance

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • as a peace officer and clarifies the conditions presumed to have arisen out of employment as a firefighter
  • What has happened is the different cancers that were listed for firefighters were listed in a text, in
  • It's just the firefighter piece, and it's just turning it into a list instead of a paragraph form to
  • Anytime you do pension changes, it potentially affects IRS issues, but they gave us...
  • You know, different government employees that get pensions.
Summary: The Senate Finance Committee approved the January 26, 2026 minutes and then heard several bills dealing with tax, retirement, and property assessment issues. SB 1215, as amended, was described as a technical “comma bill” that reorganizes the list of firefighter cancer conditions presumed work-related and removes mistakenly included peace officer language; it passed 6-1. SB 1180 would codify Arizona Department of Revenue’s practice of assuming federal conformity for above-the-line income tax items when preparing forms, with supplemental instructions if the legislature later acts differently; it passed 7-0 after discussion about whether it would affect executive-ordered changes. SCR 1028, a voter-referral measure to narrow the statutory exception allowing agencies to set certain fees and assessments without a two-thirds vote, drew sharp debate over majority rule versus limits on delegated fee authority and passed 4-3. The committee also advanced SB 1292, which clarifies that the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System’s 5% ownership cap applies only to publicly traded corporations; PSPRS said the change would avoid compliance problems and unnecessary costs, and it passed 7-0. SB 1294, restoring county assessors’ authority to prorate property values for property destroyed in any manner while preserving a five-year classification benefit only for property destroyed by verifiable accident, passed 6-1. SB 1430, the annual tax corrections act, passed unanimously after DOR said it mainly removes redundant language, fixes a cross-reference, and codifies current practice. The committee then considered SB 1270, which would let CORP employers make optional supplemental retirement contributions of up to $5,000 to Tier 3 correctional officers and related employees at specified service intervals. Supporters from the FOP said it is a flexible retention tool for hard-to-staff correctional jobs, while some members worried it could add costs for counties and not solve the underlying retention problem; it passed 6-1. Finally, SB 1290, which requires advance notice and inspection reports for certain property inspections and bars repeat agricultural inspections for three years, drew strong support from farm groups and strong opposition from county assessors, who argued it would create costs, limit their ability to verify new construction, and interfere with annual valuation duties. The bill passed 4-2 with one member not voting, and the committee adjourned.