General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County; removes provisions tying eligibility to participate in plan to civil service classification; provides for status of mandatory members and part-time employee members who join on or after October 1, 2025

HB 343 amends the General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County, primarily by removing the link between an employee's civil service classification and their eligibility to participate in the plan. Beginning October 1, 2025, most eligible employees of Jefferson County will automatically become mandatory members of the retirement system and be required to make contributions. However, individuals elected or appointed to full-time county offices and part-time county employees will retain their status as optional members, allowing them to choose whether to join the system. The bill also includes minor technical updates to the existing code language.