Senate Bill 2775

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-11-116.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT CONSERVATION OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS WHO HAVE AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE OR WHO ARE AT LEAST FIFTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND WHO RETIRE BEFORE JULY 1, 2002, SHALL BE CREDITED WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS OF SERVICE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following provision shall be codified as Section 25-11-116.1, Mississippi Code of 1972:

25-11-116.1. (1) Any member of the system who is a conservation officer employed by the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks who has twenty-five (25) years of creditable service or who is at least fifty-five (55) years of age who withdraws from service after the effective date of this section and before July 1, 2002, and receives a retirement allowance shall be credited with two (2) additional years of service in the calculations of the annual retirement allowance.

(2) The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall contribute fourteen and three-quarters percent (14.75%) of the compensation earned by the employee during the twenty-four (24) months immediately preceding his withdrawal for the additional two (2) years of creditable service as allowed in subsection (1). All contributions and wage reports shall be filed with the retirement system before the member can receive the additional creditable service in the annual retirement allowance.

(3) The member's average compensation, as provided for in Section 25-11-103(e), may include the compensation on which additional contributions are paid.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.