This bill amends the Nebraska State Patrol Retirement Act to enhance benefits for the beneficiaries of officers who die in service and to adjust the annual benefit calculations for retired members. Key changes include increasing the percentage of the officer's annuity that surviving spouses and dependent children receive from seventy-five percent to one hundred percent under certain conditions. The bill also clarifies that beneficiaries of officers who die before retirement will receive benefits as if the officer had retired for reasons other than disability.

Additionally, the bill revises the annual benefit adjustment process for retired members, particularly those who joined on or after July 1, 2016. It establishes that annual adjustments will be based on the lesser of the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index or a fixed percentage that will start at one percent and increase to four percent after July 1, 2025. The bill ensures that current benefits will not be reduced and includes new provisions regarding the adjustment process while deleting outdated language. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval due to an emergency clause.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 81-2026, 81-2027.08, 81-2027.09