HB355 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Prince ChestnutRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Rural municipalities, hiring of retired law enforcement officers

Summary

HB355 allows certain Alabama municipalities to rehire retired police officers under strict conditions to address staffing shortages while preserving retirement benefits and limiting pay and duration.

What This Bill Does

Class 5-8 municipalities may rehire a retired law enforcement officer if there is a critical staffing shortage, the retiree retired from an Alabama agency under the same pension system, and has been retired for at least 45 days while meeting required policing standards. The rehired officer’s pay cannot exceed their retirement pay, they may not accrue additional retirement service credits, and the reemployment can last up to 10 years total. Duties must be typical patrolman/detective work (not primarily administrative), the number rehired cannot exceed 10% of the department, and the employing authority must notify the appropriate retirement system within 30 days of starting reemployment; the county’s poverty rate must be over 25% for eligibility.

Who It Affects

• Retired Alabama law enforcement officers who are rehired under these provisions; they may work again with pay up to their prior retirement amount, keep their retirement benefits during reemployment, and do not earn new retirement service credits for the period of reemployment.
• Local municipalities (Class 5-8) and the relevant Employees' Retirement System or local pension systems; they must manage rehiring within set limits (no more than 10% of the force, eligibility tied to county poverty rate, require notice within 30 days), and ensure duties and conditions align with the bill.

Key Provisions

• Allows Class 5-8 municipalities to rehire a retired officer to address a 'critical personnel shortage' if the retiree left Alabama's retirement system and has been retired at least 45 consecutive days, and meets required qualifications.
• Restricts the number of rehired retirees to no more than 10% of the reemploying authority's total sworn force on the effective date.
• Requires duties to be traditional patrol/detective work; not primarily administrative, with specific tasks such as enforcing laws, investigating crimes, patrolling, making arrests, and related functions.
• Sets a maximum reemployment period of 10 years in total and caps compensation at the retiree's former retirement pay; prohibits earning additional retirement service credit during reemployment.
• Requires written notice to the Employees' Retirement System or local pension system within 30 days of starting full-time reemployment.
• Links eligibility to county poverty rate, requiring the county's poverty rate to exceed 25% per the most recent decennial census.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Law Enforcement Officers