SB342 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: William “Bill” M. BeasleySenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: State employees' retirement; to classify a K9 officer as a state police officer, to provide for retroactive effect
Summary: SB342 would classify Department of Corrections K9 police officers as state police officers for retirement benefits, with retroactive effect to those who retired on or after January 1, 2022.
What This Bill Does
Currently, K9 officers are not considered state police officers for retirement purposes, and state police officers receive larger retirement benefits. SB342 would classify a K9 officer as a state police officer for retirement purposes. The change would apply to K9 officers who retired on or after January 1, 2022 and would be retroactive. The act becomes effective June 1, 2024.

Who It Affects
K9 police officers employed by the Alabama Department of Corrections who retired on or after January 1, 2022, who would move from the K9 retirement benefit to the higher state police retirement benefit
Beneficiaries and survivors of those retirees (and other Employees' Retirement System members) who could see changes in retirement payments due to the reclassification and retroactive adjustments

Key Provisions
Classification of K9 officers as state policemen for retirement purposes by amending Section 36-27-1 to include ADOC K9 officers
Retroactive application to K9 officers who retired on or after January 1, 2022
Alignment of retirement benefits so K9 officers receive the higher state police retirement benefits
Effective date: the act becomes effective June 1, 2024

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Retirement