SB 314 Michigan Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Retirement: county employees; employment of retirant in a county sheriff’s office; allow without forfeiting retirement allowance. Amends sec. 12a of 1851 PA 156 (MCL 46.12a).

SB 314 allows county employees who have retired to be re-employed in a county sheriff's office without losing their retirement allowance. It directly affects retired county employees seeking to work in sheriff's offices. The bill amends Michigan's retirement law (MCL 46.12a) to remove the current restriction that would require forfeiting retirement benefits upon re-employment. This change creates a specific exception for sheriff's office positions. The bill passed the legislature on October 23, 2025, with 31 yeas, 4 nays, and 6 excused/not voting.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Oct 2025

Senate Passage

Oct 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced May 20, 2025 Last action Oct 23, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute (S-1) → As Passed by the Senate · 7 edits · Oct 23, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends the Michigan County Retirement Act to modernize pension and retirement benefits for county employees, including new provisions for military service credit, specific rules for judges, and updated eligibility criteria. It also clarifies definitions for terms like 'longevity pay' and establishes stricter requirements for funding reserves and handling retiree reemployment.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the act to explicitly include circuit court stenographers and clarifies the status of employees in transitional public employment programs. It also adds specific provisions for judges of municipal, circuit, district, and probate courts.

ELIGIBILITY

Circuit court stenographers are now explicitly eligible for membership in county pension plans.

New sections allow county employees to purchase credited service for military duty lasting 30 days or more, with specific payment and vesting requirements.

Employees participating in specific job training or community service programs are excluded from retirement membership and service credit.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'average final compensation' (excluding longevity pay) and 'longevity pay' itself.

REQUIREMENT

New rules require counties with populations between 400,000 and 800,000 to establish written policies for uniform application of the retirement plan.

Enhanced provisions clarify how pension benefits are handled when a retiree is reemployed by the same or a different county.

Updated calculations for judges' retirement benefits to ensure total compensation from county and state sources does not exceed total salary.

Floor votes · Senate Oct 23, 2025

How they voted

31–6

Passed

Total votes 37

Oct 23, 2025

D Democratic19

19 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican18

12 Yea 6 Nay

66% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Oct 23, 2025

Committee

referred to Committee on Government Operations

lower

Oct 23, 2025

Introduced

received on 10/23/2025

lower

Oct 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED ROLL CALL # 282 YEAS 31 NAYS 4 EXCUSED 2 NOT VOTING 0

upper

Oct 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT(S)

upper

Oct 22, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

upper

Oct 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

REPORTED FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT 10/21/2025

upper

May 20, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

upper

May 20, 2025

Introduced

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR KEVIN HERTEL

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors