This bill amends Section 10-11-7 of the New Mexico Statutes to allow members of public employee pension systems who have served in the uniformed services of the United States to purchase service credit for their time in service, regardless of the duration of that service. The conditions for purchasing this service credit include the requirement that the member pays the association the determined purchase cost, has the minimum years of service credit needed for normal retirement, and does not exceed a total of five years of purchased service credit. Additionally, the bill specifies that members must not have received a discharge under dishonorable conditions.

The bill also introduces a new provision that allows members who were civilian prisoners of war to purchase service credit for their period of internment, provided they meet similar conditions regarding proof of employment and internment, as well as the purchase cost. Other provisions remain largely unchanged, including those related to purchasing service credit for employment with certain organizations and participation in cooperative work study programs. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the benefits available to public employees who have served in the military or as civilian prisoners of war by allowing them to count that service towards their retirement benefits.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 10-11-7