A letter and request to complete a survey was sent from Senator Snow's office on June 29, 2007, concerning Senator Snow's proposed 25-year retirement.  You can view the letter and complete the survey at http://www.senatorsnow.com.

This letter has generated many questions from our membership.  This is not the bill (nor does it contain the language) endorsed by the NC FOP Board of Directors.

Senator Snow's bill does theoretically give us a 25-year retirement but it also eliminates the Special Separation Allowance.  Retaining the Special Separation Allowance has always been the position of the NC State FOP Board of Directors - ALWAYS!  

Senator Snow has indicated that eliminating the Special Separation Allowance is the only way that the 25-year retirement bill will get passed because the League of Municipalities will support it.  The League has historically opposed the Special Separation Allowance, even before it came into existence.  So it is not surprising that the League will support any bill that eliminates the Special Separation Allowance.

There is always opposition to bills.  Are we to believe that the League of Municipalities can actually control the Senate and the fate of our 25-year retirement with the Special Separation Allowance?  The fate of our 25-year retirement bill should rest on the votes of the Senators and Representatives doing the right thing for law enforcement.

While this bill is called a 25-year retirement, it actually depends on the age of the individual when he/she begins their law enforcement career.  For example, an officer who starts at age 21 would have to work 29 years. 21 years old plus 29 years of service = 50 years old.  In this example one year of work would be eliminated, from our current 30-year retirement system, but the officer would not receive the Special Separation Allowance under Senator Snow's proposal.

What are the long term effects of this proposed bill?  While many officers currently in the system would be able to retire with 25-years of service and receive the Special Separation Allowance, Senator Snow's proposal eliminates the separation allowance for officers who are not vested with at least five years of service.  All current officers with less than 5 years of service and all future officers will not receive the Special Separation Allowance.

House Bill 1114, the House version of the law enforcement 25-year retirement (that retains the Special Separation Allowance) is still alive.  This bill contains the language that was approved by the NC FOP Board of Directors.  You can read this bill at http://www.ncleg.net.