House Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to revise the Firefighters' Unified Retirement System to include public safety employees from airport authorities. The bill amends Sections 19-13-104 and 19-13-210 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to expand the definition of "employer" to include airport authorities, thereby allowing public safety officers employed by these authorities to participate in the retirement system. Additionally, the definition of "public safety officer" is updated to specify that it includes individuals who are both full-paid firefighters and sworn peace officers employed by an airport authority.

The bill also outlines the participation requirements for cities and rural fire districts, allowing those not currently covered under the retirement system to elect to join it, provided they have full-paid firefighters or public safety officers. The effective date for the provisions of this act is set for July 1, 2025. This legislation seeks to enhance the retirement benefits available to airport authority public safety employees, ensuring they receive similar retirement options as their counterparts in other municipalities.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 19-13-104, 19-13-210
HB0640_1(1): 19-13-104, 19-13-210
HB0640_1(2): 19-13-104, 19-13-210
HB0640_1: 19-13-104, 19-13-210