I invite you to join me in co-sponsoring important legislation to amend the Municipal Police Pension Law to provide greater clarity and structure regarding pension asset transfers in the event of municipal police department consolidations or disbandments.

This bill updates Sections 4(d) and (e) of the act of May 29, 1956 (1955 P.L.1804, No.600), commonly known as the Municipal Police Pension Law. Specifically, the legislation:

• Ensures that police officers who transition into a regional police department or another municipal force within six months of its establishment or a municipality's subsequent joinder receive full credit for their prior service in pension calculations.
• Allows participating municipalities, if authorized in an intermunicipal agreement, to transfer assets and liabilities from existing municipal police pension funds to newly established regional police pension funds.
• Requires actuarial valuation reports to be completed before adopting a pension plan or assuming additional pension assets or liabilities, ensuring financial stability.
• Establishes a clear timeline for the transfer of pension assets when a borough, town, or township disbands its police force and contracts police services from another municipality. If assets are not transferred within one year, they must be sent to the Commonwealth as determined by the State Treasurer, with penalties for noncompliance.

This legislation promotes regional collaboration while protecting the pension rights of law enforcement officers and ensuring that municipalities properly manage pension assets. By providing clear statutory guidance, we can help local governments navigate intermunicipal policing agreements with greater efficiency and accountability.

Please join me in supporting this measure to improve pension security and municipal cooperation in Pennsylvania.