**** 2
69th Legislature 2025
LC
0226
3
1 _____________ BILL NO. _____________
(Primary Sponsor)
2 INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________
3 BY REQUEST OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS INTERIM COMMITTEE
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING THE RETIREMENT CRITERIA FOR THE HIGHWAY
6 PATROL OFFICERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE SHERIFFS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AMENDING
7 SECTIONS 19-6-501 AND 19-7-501, MCA; AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES.”
8
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
10
11 Section 1. Section 19-6-501, MCA, is amended to read:
12 "19-6-501. Eligibility for service retirement benefit. (1) (a) Subject to a member's right to a refund
13 of the member's accumulated contributions under Title 19, chapter 2, part 6, a member hired on or before June
14 30, 2023, is eligible to receive a nonforfeitable service retirement benefit under 19-6-502 after completing 20
15 years or more of membership service and terminating service.
16 (b) Subject to a member's right to a refund of the member's accumulated contributions under Title
17 19, chapter 2, part 6, a member hired on or after July 1, 2023, is eligible to receive a nonforfeitable service
18 retirement benefit under 19-6-502 after completing 20 years or more of membership service, reaching the age
19 of 50, and terminating service.
20 (2) For the purposes of compliance with section 411 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 411,
21 a vested member is treated as having who has either reached age 50 or completed 20 years of membership
22 service, whichever occurs later, has attained normal retirement age and has a nonforfeitable right to the
23 member's service retirement."
24
1 LC 226
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69th Legislature 2025
LC
0226
3
1 Section 2. Section 19-7-501, MCA, is amended to read:
2 "19-7-501. Eligibility for service retirement benefit. (1) (a) Subject to a member's right to a refund
3 of the member's accumulated contributions under Title 19, chapter 2, part 6, a member hired on or before June
4 30, 2023, who has completed at least 20 years of membership service is eligible for a nonforfeitable service
5 retirement benefit under 19-7-503.
6 (b) Subject to a member's right to a refund of the member's accumulated contributions under Title
7 19, chapter 2, part 6, a member hired on or after July 1, 2023, who has completed at least 20 years of
8 membership service and reached 50 years of age is eligible for a nonforfeitable service retirement benefit under
9 19-7-503.
10 (2) For the purposes of compliance with section 411 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 411,
11 a vested member described in subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) is treated as having attained normal retirement age
12 and who has either reached age 50 or completed 20 years of membership service, whichever occurs later, has
13 attained normal retirement age and has a nonforfeitable right to the member's service retirement."
14
15 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
16
17 NEW SECTION. Section 4. Retroactive applicability. [This act] applies retroactively, within the
18 meaning of 1-2-109, to members of the highway patrol officers' retirement system and the sheriffs' retirement
19 system hired on or after July 1, 2023.
20 - END -
2 LC 226


Statutes affected:
LC Text: 19-6-501, 19-7-501