PRIA Logo™
West VirginiaSB 7242026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Relating to home confinement officers’ participation in EMS retirement system

Sponsored By: Jason Barrett (Republican)

Signed by Governor

§16-5V-2§16-5V-6F§16-5V-6g

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Pension formula and buyback option

If your PERS assets transfer and you do not repay, each transferred year counts at 2.0% of your final average pay. New service after you join earns 2.75% for your first 20 years, 2.0% for years 21–25, and 1.5% after that. Total benefits are capped at 90% of final average pay and must follow federal limits. If you repay the board-quoted amount, your 911, home confinement, or EMS service gets the higher 2.75%/2.0%/1.5% rates; other non‑special service stays at 2.0%. You can request a written quote; the board sends it within 60 days after your request and employer verification, and you must pay in full by December 31, 2030 or before you retire.

Funding triggers change pay and pension

The board may set your payroll contribution at 10.5% when funding is below target and must drop it to 8.5% once funding later reaches 70% on a valuation date. If the plan reaches 75% funded, the accrual for your first 20 years rises from 2.6% to 2.75%, and the maximum benefit cap increases from 67% to 90% of final average pay, subject to federal limits.

How your PERS to EMS transfer works

If you elect to transfer, your PERS service and the related assets move into the EMS plan. The board bases the transfer on the July 1, 2026 valuation and updates it with 7.25% annual interest to your actual transfer date; market value is set at the end of the month before transfer. The board must finish these transfers by March 31, 2027. After transfer, PERS has no liability for those years; you can only earn new PERS benefits by later taking a new PERS-covered job. Transferring officers can start EMS retirement on or after April 1, 2027.

Rules for who joins EMS pension

Beginning July 1, 2025, any new home confinement officer must join the EMS retirement plan and cannot be in another board-run plan for that job. If you work two covered jobs, the plan tied to the job with your earliest hire date controls. County EMS officers hired before their county joined this plan must file the board’s form by August 31, 2026 to elect a transfer. Your transfer choice is final, and you cannot restore earlier PERS service you withdrew if it was not EMS work. If you were a county EMS officer before July 1, 2026 and are rehired, you join and can ask to move PERS contributions; each transferred year counts as 2% of your final average pay.

Free Policy Watch

You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.

Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.

Pick a topic to get started

My TaxesMy HealthMy BudgetMy MoneyMy Freedom
Or tell us something more specific

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jason Barrett

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Vince Deeds

    Republican • Senate

  • Anitra Hamilton

    Democratic • House

  • Mike Oliverio

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 313 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/14/2026

Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 673)

Yes: 34 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/14/2026

Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 672)

Yes: 34 • No: 0

House vote • 3/13/2026

Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 554)

Yes: 89 • No: 0

House vote • 3/13/2026

Passed House (Roll No. 553)

Yes: 90 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/19/2026

Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 151)

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/19/2026

Passed Senate (Roll No. 150)

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor 3/27/2026

    3/27/2026Senate

  2. To Governor 3/19/2026

    3/19/2026Senate

  3. House Message received

    3/14/2026Senate

  4. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 672)

    3/14/2026Senate

  5. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 673)

    3/14/2026Senate

  6. Communicated to House

    3/14/2026Senate

  7. Completed legislative action

    3/14/2026Senate

  8. To Governor 3/19/2026 - Senate Journal

    3/14/2026Senate

  9. Approved by Governor 3/27/2026 - House Journal

    3/14/2026House

  10. Approved by Governor 3/27/2026 - Senate Journal

    3/14/2026Senate

  11. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

    3/13/2026House

  12. Read 3rd time

    3/13/2026House

  13. Passed House (Roll No. 553)

    3/13/2026House

  14. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

    3/13/2026House

  15. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 554)

    3/13/2026House

  16. Communicated to Senate

    3/13/2026House

  17. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

    3/12/2026House

  18. Read 2nd time

    3/12/2026House

  19. Amendment reported by the Clerk

    3/12/2026House

  20. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

    3/12/2026House

  21. With amendment, do pass

    3/11/2026House

  22. Immediate consideration

    3/11/2026House

  23. Read 1st time

    3/11/2026House

  24. House received Senate message

    2/20/2026House

  25. Introduced in House

    2/20/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation

Take It Personal

Get Your Personalized Policy View

Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.

Already have an account? Sign in