Providing members of State Teachers Retirement System are absent from service while serving as officer with statewide professional teaching association

SB 563 modifies West Virginia's State Teachers Retirement System rules to treat teachers serving as officers in statewide professional teaching associations as "absent from service" during that role. This means their time in such leadership positions counts toward retirement credit, but they must pay double their regular retirement contributions during the absence. The policy applies only to those serving as officers before January 1, 2024, and limits the credited absence period to a maximum of 10 years. It ensures retired members who held these roles while employed retain credit for that time without losing retirement benefits.