This bill amends the West Virginia Code to clarify the retirement benefits for campus police officers under the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System. It allows campus police officers to use accrued annual or sick leave days for additional credited service upon retirement, specifying that only leave accrued after joining the retirement plan can be used. The bill also establishes that campus police officers hired before January 1, 2026, may choose to participate in the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System, but they cannot transfer service credit or funds from other retirement plans. Additionally, it mandates that all campus police officers hired on or after January 1, 2026, must participate in this retirement system.

The bill deletes previous provisions that allowed current campus police officers to choose the Deputy Sheriffs Retirement System and establishes new requirements for those hired before the specified date to inform the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board of their choice regarding retirement system participation. The overall aim of the bill is to enhance clarity regarding retirement credit for campus police officers and to ensure that the statutory provisions align with the intended retirement benefits.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-22A-33a, 18B-4-5