PERS; first responders hired after 3-1-26 may receive retirement allowance after 25 years of service.

HB 1016 would allow law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS providers, emergency management personnel, and public safety telecommunicators hired into Mississippi's Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) on or after March 1, 2026, to receive retirement benefits after 25 years of service regardless of age. It establishes a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for these first responders tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), ensuring their retirement income keeps pace with inflation. The bill directly affects future first responder hires by changing retirement eligibility and benefit adjustments under PERS. The bill was referred to committee but died there on February 3, 2026.