Bill > HB38

This bill amends the Virginia Retirement System to allow local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for full-time salaried 911 dispatchers, treating them similarly to other hazardous duty public safety professionals like law enforcement officers and firefighters. Specifically, the bill adds full-time salaried dispatchers for public safety answering points (a technical term for 911 call centers) to the list of occupations eligible for special retirement benefits comparable to those provided to state police officers. These enhanced benefits include more favorable retirement and early retirement options. The bill's provisions will take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to service earned from that date forward, though employers have the discretion to apply these enhanced benefits to service earned before that date as well. By extending these retirement benefits, the bill recognizes the stressful and critical nature of 911 dispatch work, aligning their retirement treatment with other first responder professions and potentially improving recruitment and retention of these essential public safety personnel.

Budget and Finance

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?251+sum+HB38