All Roll Calls
Yes: 189 • No: 41
North DakotaHB 14192025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 54-52-01, 54-52-02.1, 54-52-02.15, 54-52-06.3, 54-52-06.4, and 54-52-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the public employees retirement system public safety retirement plan.
Sponsored By: Todd Porter (Republican)
Became Law
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.
Disability retirement amounts for members
If you retire for disability, most members get 25% of final average salary each year. Supreme and district court judges get 70% of salary minus primary Social Security and workers’ compensation, with at least $100 per month.
BCI peace officers: pension and retirement
If you are a BCI peace officer, your yearly pension equals 3.0% of final average salary for each of the first 20 years, plus 1.75% for each year after 20. If you were first hired after July 31, 2023, you need at least 10 years of service to retire at 55, or you can retire when age plus service equals 85. Officers hired before August 1, 2023 keep the earlier eligibility rules.
New hires move to defined contribution plan
Beginning January 1, 2025, the main pension (defined benefit) plan is closed to most new hires. New eligible employees must join the defined contribution plan instead. Anyone who was a participating or deferred member before January 1, 2025 stays in the defined benefit plan, even if rehired. If you are in the defined contribution plan and later become eligible for a listed plan (public safety, judges, highway patrol, teachers, or the university plan), you may join that plan. If you are in one of those listed plans and later become an eligible employee, you must join the defined contribution plan, not the old defined benefit plan.
Pension math and early-retirement changes
If you first enrolled after December 31, 2019, each service year earns 1.75% of final average salary; earlier enrollees keep 2.0%. If you first enrolled after December 31, 2015 (except listed public‑safety jobs and judges), early retirement cuts your pension by 8% for each year early. To receive a prior service benefit, you must have two continuous years with a North Dakota government right before you qualify to retire. If you leave after December 31, 2019, your final average salary is the higher of the December 31, 2019 value or your three highest 12‑month periods in the last 180 months; months with no pay do not count. The Board may allow reported, annualized bonuses to count as salary.
Employers must fund safety pensions
Employers of covered local safety staff and state employers of dispatchers, state peace officers, and National Guard security officers must pay the actuarially required contributions set by the Board. Payments come from salary appropriations or other available funds. If an employer pays a member’s assessment under law, it must also pay the same amount again.
How benefits are paid and rolled over
If a member dies before retiring with at least three years of service (five for judges), the Board pays the account to the named beneficiary; a surviving spouse is the default primary beneficiary unless the spouse names someone else, and may choose certain payment forms. If you leave with at least three years (five for judges) and do not take early retirement, you can get a deferred pension starting at your normal date; if you leave with less service and your account is under $1,000, the Board refunds it unless you waive within 30 days. At retirement, you can choose single life, joint‑and‑survivor (50% or 100%), 10‑ or 20‑year certain, a partial lump sum (up to 12 months), or a graduated benefit (1% or 2% yearly increases); judges have a different default. The fund may accept eligible rollovers and trustee‑to‑trustee transfers, and the Board can set up voluntary IRAs and annuities for extra savings.
Judges pension formula by years served
Supreme and district court judges earn 3.5% of final average salary per year for the first 10 years on the bench, 2.8% per year for years 11–20, and 1.25% per year after 20. Service counts from appointment or election. Nonjudicial service adds the percent used for other employees.
Employee contribution rates for safety staff
Local peace officers, firefighters, dispatchers, EMS workers, and correctional officers in participating local governments pay 5.5% of monthly pay. State dispatchers and state peace officers (not BCI officers) pay 6%. National Guard security officers paid 6% starting August 1, 2015; that rate dropped to 5.5% in January 2016. BCI peace officers pay 8% of monthly pay. These amounts are taken from paychecks in equal monthly deductions.
Work-hour rules for public-safety retirement
Dispatchers, EMS personnel, and correctional officers hired on or after the law’s effective date must work at least 32 hours per week and 20 weeks per year to qualify for public‑safety retirement. Peace officers who started after August 1, 2005 and firefighters who started after July 31, 2017 must meet the same hours‑and‑weeks test. New hires in these roles cannot take part in another retirement plan run by the state system at the same time.
Local governments can join or merge state plan
Cities, counties, and other local governments can join the state retirement system for permanent staff or for safety staff, or merge their police, dispatcher, EMS, or firefighter plans into it. Before joining, the Retirement Board orders an actuarial study, and the local government pays the study fees. The employer must fund any past service costs, which the Board can spread over up to 30 years, and part of payments may cover Board administrative costs. School districts may join only for permanent noncertified employees.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Todd Porter
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Jason Dockter
Republican • House
Pat D. Heinert
Republican • House
Emily O'Brien
Republican • House
Matthew Ruby
Republican • House
Bernie Satrom
Republican • House
Austen Schauer
Republican • House
Michelle Axtman
Republican • Senate
Sean Cleary
Republican • Senate
Judy Lee
Republican • Senate
Scott Meyer
Republican • Senate
Kristin Roers
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/7/2025
Second reading, passed, yeas 68 nays 22
Yes: 68 • No: 22
Senate vote • 3/26/2025
Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 45 nays 2
Yes: 45 • No: 2
House vote • 2/24/2025
Second reading, passed, yeas 76 nays 17
Yes: 76 • No: 17
Actions Timeline
Filed with Secretary Of State 04/17
4/21/2025HouseSigned by Governor 04/15
4/18/2025HouseSent to Governor
4/14/2025HouseSigned by Speaker
4/14/2025HouseSigned by President
4/9/2025SenateSecond reading, passed, yeas 68 nays 22
4/7/2025HouseConcurred
4/7/2025HouseReturned to House (12)
3/27/2025HouseSecond reading, passed as amended, yeas 45 nays 2
3/26/2025SenateAmendment adopted, placed on calendar
3/25/2025SenateReported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 4 1 1
3/24/2025SenateCommittee Hearing 03:15
3/20/2025SenateIntroduced, first reading, referred State and Local Government Committee
3/7/2025SenateReceived from House
2/25/2025SenateSecond reading, passed, yeas 76 nays 17
2/24/2025HouseReported back, do pass, place on calendar 7 5 1
2/21/2025HouseCommittee Hearing 09:30
1/30/2025HouseIntroduced, first reading, referred Government and Veterans Affairs Committee
1/13/2025House
Bill Text
Adopted by the Senate State and Local Government Committee
Enrollment
HOUSE BILL NO. 1419 with Senate Amendments
INTRODUCED
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