Bill > HB1563

This bill expands membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS), a state retirement program for certain public safety employees, to include full-time salaried emergency dispatchers who work for the Department of State Police, Capitol Police, and other agencies with law enforcement officers eligible for VaLORS. Specifically, the bill adds "full-time salaried dispatchers" to the definition of "employee" in the VaLORS system, which currently includes various law enforcement and public safety personnel like police officers, conservation officers, and correctional officers. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026, and clarifies that the enhanced retirement benefits for dispatchers will only apply to service performed on or after that date. This change means that eligible emergency dispatchers will now be able to participate in the VaLORS retirement system, providing them with similar retirement benefits as other law enforcement and public safety professionals in Virginia.