All Roll Calls
Yes: 151 • No: 0
FloridaHB 40452025HouseWALLET
City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County
Sponsored By: Daniel Antonio "Danny" Alvarez (Republican)
Signed by Governor
AppropriationIntergovernmental Affairs SubcommitteeGovernment Operations SubcommitteeState Affairs CommitteeRules
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
19 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 5 costs, 5 mixed.
Tampa disability pensions use revised formulas
A permanently disabling work-related condition provides 65% of monthly salary at disability retirement, plus one-twelfth of Board-approved other earnings from the prior year. Non-service disability coverage requires permanent incapacity and at least 10 years of credited service. Its formula uses 2% of average earnings per service year, with a 25% minimum and 50% maximum when normal retirement is unavailable. For members eligible for normal retirement, the law compares the disability amount with the accrued normal retirement benefit. Non-service disability payments last for life, with a guaranteed 10-year payment period.
Tampa spouses and children receive survivor pensions
After a non-duty death or a retired member’s death, survivor pensions require 10 years of department membership before death. A qualifying spouse receives 65% of the earned service retirement pension until death or remarriage. While the spouse lives, each eligible child receives 7.5% of final-year earnings, with a 15% combined cap. After the spouse dies, those rates rise to 15% per child and 30% combined, paid through a Board-directed trust. Children’s benefits are paid monthly and end at death, marriage, or age 18, whichever comes first.
Tampa survivors gain ten-year payment guarantees
Members can name one or more beneficiaries for death benefits otherwise payable under Fund rules. If a retiree dies before receiving 10 years of benefits, the same monthly payment continues for the remaining period. An eligible spouse receives it first; otherwise, the named beneficiary receives it. For pre-retirement deaths without an eligible spouse or minor child, Florida law governs a 10-year guarantee of normal-retirement-age benefits to beneficiaries. The non-duty-death guarantee requires the member to have vested pension rights.
Tampa pension forfeiture overrides dismissal protection
The pension protection that applies after dismissal does not override forfeiture required by Florida law. Members subject to forfeiture under section 112.3173 cannot use that protection to keep their pension.
Tampa retirement requires department service
Tampa firefighters and police officers need 20 years of covered department service to enter the deferred retirement program. That same service requirement allows immediate pension payments at any age after leaving covered service. Division B service no longer counts toward these requirements. Qualifying deferred-program service must be in the member’s respective fire or police department.
Tampa deferred retirement extends with limits
Eligible Tampa firefighters and police officers can enter the Deferred Retirement Option Program with 20 to 33 years of qualifying service. They must meet pension eligibility requirements other than leaving service. Accumulation can last eight years, but stops sooner when total service reaches 33 years. Current participants qualify for the revised limit only with fewer than five program years and fewer than 30 service years. The City can enter supplemental pension contracts with active members at the law’s start and later City pension-contract holders.
Tampa retirees can fund spouse coverage
For certain benefits, a lawful spouse must have married the member during active service, unless the member elected reduced post-retirement spouse coverage. A special election covers members who retired or entered deferred retirement before October 1, 2002. They must have been retired less than 40 years on October 1, 2011. The post-retirement marriage must precede election by at least three years; the spouse can be no more than 20 years younger. Coverage allows no more than two post-retirement remarriages, reduces the retiree’s check, and requires the retiree to pay calculation costs without added Fund or sponsor cost.
Tampa disability retirees gain service options
Tampa disability retirees no longer need disability reviews once they reach age 46. The City can choose to rehire a disability retiree into a Fund-covered job. A rehired member can buy service credit for the disability period by paying the employee contributions that were missed. The City must then pay the corresponding employer contribution.
Tampa pensions count more overtime earnings
The Fund counts up to 300 hours of City-paid overtime per fiscal year as pension earnings. Extra-duty payments are no longer excluded. Counting these payments can increase earnings-based pension benefits for Tampa firefighters and police officers.
Tampa pensions keep creditor protections
Tampa pensions are protected from assignment, debt garnishment, and most other legal claims. Court orders for alimony or child support under Florida law remain exceptions. Deferred retirement savings and interest also receive protection from legal claims. Their exceptions now follow Section 18 of the pension contract instead of the former specific references to income-deduction orders and federal tax levies.
Tampa survivor pension minimums receive updates
The minimum monthly pension covers retired members and surviving spouses at 100% of the applicable poverty-level amount. The text no longer limits this floor to an “eligible” surviving spouse. For line-of-duty deaths before October 1, 1969, the survivor minimum remains $1,500 per month, with a cost-of-living adjustment. That adjustment replaces the prior reference to the Post Retirement Adjustment Account; the supplied text does not establish the payment difference.
Tampa veterans keep more pension protection
The law ends a City pension deduction for federal military disability payments tied to credited military service of up to five years. The former deduction did not apply to City pensions granted solely for disability. Veterans’ reemployment law also takes priority when it conflicts with the pension section’s return-to-work rules after active military service.
Legacy Tampa pension subsidies end
For Division B members on October 15, 1992, who later joined the Fund, contribution offsets and special City payments end. This includes the related tax allowance. The law also removes a special past-service credit route for Division B employees outside the Fund on that date who later joined. For later joiners outside the Fund on that date, City-paid employee and employer contributions, plus 10% annual interest, also end. That payment repeal covers service from October 16, 1992, until Board acceptance; it does not itself require members to pay.
Legacy Tampa pension offsets and formulas change
The law removes specified Social Security reductions from affected Division B members’ retirement and disability pensions. The disability change covers members in Division B before October 16, 1992; retirement coverage follows the stated employment and Division B conditions. It also removes survivor-pension offsets tied to that pre-October 16, 1992 group when City employment counted as Fund service. The former survivor offset did not apply when the spouse received no accrued Social Security benefit. A special 3.15%-per-service-year retirement formula also ends, so the overall result depends on the member’s pension rules.
Tampa pension access expands, membership required
The law removes pension-entry requirements tied to the former federal age limit and City Civil Service Board rules. It also removes the exclusion for certain unclassified-service workers. Applicants still must provide medical-provider lists, authorize medical-record access, and pass an exam, including additional tests ordered by the Medical Board. Covered Tampa firefighters and police officers must join the Fund unless Florida law permits optional membership.
Tampa workers share pension funding costs
The City and covered workers must fund each year’s pension cost and spread unfunded past-service costs over 30 years. The most recent actuarial report sets the funding need, reduced by state receipts under chapters 175 and 185. The default employee-to-City contribution ratio is 1:1.33, or 1:1.34 for quarterly City payments. Bargaining parties mutually agree on contribution amounts and any ratio adjustments, replacing the former formulas.
Tampa retirees gain beneficiary change options
Retirees can change a joint annuitant designation twice without Board approval; the two-change limit no longer covers beneficiary designations. A joint annuitant is someone chosen to receive continuing pension payments. With Board consent, changes after payments begin are allowed even if the former joint annuitant has died. For that approval route, the Board may request health evidence and must recalculate the pension based on expected payment costs.
Tampa small-pension cash-out authority ends
The Board loses its special authority to choose lump-sum payments for small pensions. The former rule covered monthly pensions under $100. It also covered total cash values under $5,000 for firefighters or $2,500 for police officers. The repeal does not set a replacement payment amount or schedule.
Tampa pension foreign-debt cap stays locked
The Fund’s investments in specified foreign-government and foreign-company debt remain capped at 25% of its investments’ total market value. The cap can be changed or repealed only as provided by general law. This limits the Fund’s investment authority, not members’ personal investments.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Daniel Antonio "Danny" Alvarez
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/30/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 36 • No: 0
House vote • 4/16/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 115 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chapter No. 2025-239
7/8/2025Approved by Governor
6/6/2025Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
6/4/2025Ordered enrolled
4/30/2025HouseIn Messages
4/30/2025HouseCS passed; YEAS 36 NAYS 0 -SJ 740
4/30/2025SenateRead 3rd time -SJ 740
4/30/2025SenateRead 2nd time -SJ 740
4/30/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar, on 2nd reading -SJ 736
4/30/2025SenateWithdrawn from Rules -SJ 736
4/30/2025SenateReceived
4/22/2025SenateReferred to Rules
4/16/2025SenateIn Messages
4/16/2025SenateCS passed; YEAS 115, NAYS 0
4/16/2025HouseRead 3rd time
4/16/2025HouseAdded to Third Reading Calendar
4/16/2025HousePlaced on 3rd reading
4/16/2025HouseRead 2nd time
4/16/2025HouseBill added to Special Order Calendar (4/16/2025)
4/10/2025HouseAdded to Second Reading Calendar
4/2/2025HouseBill released to House Calendar
4/2/2025HouseReported out of State Affairs Committee
4/2/2025HouseFavorable by State Affairs Committee
4/2/2025HouseAdded to State Affairs Committee agenda
3/31/2025HouseNow in State Affairs Committee
3/18/2025House
Bill Text
er
6/6/2025
c1
3/6/2025
Filed
2/25/2025