Bill > HB06953

This bill requires all municipalities in Connecticut to provide police officers and firefighters with a defined pension plan by June 30, 2027, through either participation in the municipal employees' retirement system (MERS) or another pension plan that offers comparable or equivalent benefits. To help municipalities prepare for this transition, the state Comptroller is mandated to conduct a comprehensive study examining the necessary considerations for municipalities that currently do not offer such defined pension plans. The Comptroller must submit a detailed report of this study to the legislative committee responsible for labor and public employees by January 1, 2026. The key terms in this bill include "defined pension plan," which refers to a retirement plan where the benefit is predetermined based on a formula typically involving salary history and years of service, and "municipal employees' retirement system," which is a state-run retirement program for local government employees. The bill aims to ensure that police officers and firefighters have access to reliable retirement benefits, recognizing the critical and often dangerous nature of their public service roles.