House Bill 470 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ben RobbinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Retired state employees; authorized to return to work, conditions imposed

Summary

HB470 lets more state retirees return to work without losing retirement benefits, with new rules on earnings, commitments, and a contribution to retirement administration.

What This Bill Does

It expands how ERS and TRS retirees can return to work by allowing those retired for at least 12 months to work for either system without suspended benefits and without an annual earnings limit, as long as they do not earn additional retirement benefits for that service and they commit to a three-year term. It requires the Board of Control to set a percentage of the retiree's earnable compensation to fund retirement-system administration. It also creates special rules for elected officials and certain public-safety retirees to work without suspending benefits, with earnings caps and restrictions on accumulating new benefits. The bill has retroactive application to January 1, 2023, and a sunset date of December 31, 2030 for these post-retirement employment provisions, with an effective date of October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• ERS/TRS retirees who have been retired at least 12 months may return to work for the system without suspending benefits and with no annual earnings limit; they may not accrue additional retirement benefits for that service and must commit to a three-year employment term.
• Employing authorities and the Board of Control, who must enforce the new rules, collect the required retiree contributions, and ensure compliance with notice and certification requirements.
• Retired elected officials, who may serve in public office without suspending retirement benefits but cannot receive both pension and salary for the same service (with a local superintendent of education exception if earnings stay under the limit).
• Public-safety retirees (law enforcement, state police, corrections, firefighters) who meet program criteria may work in designated roles (e.g., school resource officer, corrections officer, fire medic) with a $52,000 per year earnings cap and without suspending retirement benefits or earning additional retirement benefits for that service.

Key Provisions

• Allows ERS/TRS retirees who have been retired 12 months or longer to return to work for either system without suspension of retirement benefits and with no annual earnings limit, provided no new retirement benefits are earned and a three-year term is committed.
• Requires the Board of Control to set a fixed percentage of earnable compensation that these retirees must pay to support retirement-system administration; the percentage is not recoverable by the retiree.
• Permits elected officials who are retirees to serve for full compensation without suspending retirement benefits, but prohibits collecting both pension and salary for the same service (local superintendent of education exception applies if earnings stay within limits).
• Specifies post-retirement work allowances for certain public-safety retirees to serve in roles like school resource officer, corrections officer, or fire medic, with a $52,000/year earnings cap and no suspension of retirement benefits; eligibility depends on prior classifications and certifications.
• Requires retirees to certify required information to employers and to notify the Employees' Retirement System and employer within 30 days of starting or changing status.
• Retroactive effective date to January 1, 2023, and a sunset of December 31, 2030 for these post-retirement employment provisions, with an overall effective date of October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 17, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Government Administration