SB 716 West Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to failure to pay required contributions and interest payments for certain retirees who transfer between retirement systems

SB 716 addresses retirees who transfer between state retirement systems but fail to pay required contributions and interest. It creates a formal process for retirement systems to collect these unpaid amounts from affected retirees. The law directly impacts retirees who move between systems and the retirement systems themselves, requiring them to track and pursue these payments. Key provisions include standardized procedures for calculating interest and establishing timelines for collection, replacing previous inconsistent approaches. This policy change ensures consistent handling of unpaid obligations across all state retirement systems.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Aug 2025
Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Signed Aug 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Enrolled Version · 5 edits · Apr 24, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was converted from an introduced draft to an enrolled final version that passed the legislature. The substantive policy text remains largely the same, but the final version adds new requirements for employees who transfer to the new retirement plan: they must pay a 4% contribution by June 30, 2027, with interest, and if they fail to pay, their service credit transfers back to the old system by December 31, 2027. The final version also clarifies the asset transfer calculation method and adds indemnification language protecting the old system from future liability.
Scope change
No change in the bill's scope or applicability; it still applies to municipalities hiring police officers or firefighters on or after July 1, 2015, who wish to transfer from the Public Employees Retirement System to the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System.
REQUIREMENT

New requirement that transferring employees must pay a 4% contribution by June 30, 2027, calculated on total earnings transferred plus interest from their initial participation in the old system.

ENFORCEMENT

If an employee fails to pay the required contribution and interest, their service credit transfers back to the Public Employees Retirement System by December 31, 2027, and previously transferred assets are returned with interest.

FISCAL

Asset transfer calculation now includes a more detailed formula with additional steps (F and G) to determine the funded percentage and adjust the transfer amount by interest at 7.5% from July 1 through the transfer month.

DEFINITION

New language stating that once an employee transfers, the old retirement system is barred from future liability and the employee indemnifies the system from providing any benefits until they re-enter the old system.

TECHNICAL

The enrolled version includes standard legislative formatting, certification signatures, and effective date language indicating the bill is in effect from passage.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 14, 2025 · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2025

How they voted

300
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 32
Mar 14, 2025
D Democratic2
2 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican30
28 Yea 2
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Apr 24, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/24/2025
upper
Apr 12, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/24/2025 - House Journal
lower
Apr 12, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/24/2025 - Senate Journal
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House changed effective date
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (Roll No. 407)
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
To House Finance
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
To Finance
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Roll No. 116)
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass, but first to Finance
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Mike Oliverio
Mike Oliverio
RRepublican
WV
13