FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
February 28, 2012
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Suzanne Webb (334) 242-7351
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE OF BILL
FOR OVERTIME IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PENSIONS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced that the
House of Representatives today approved a bill in his legislative package that
would allow the calculation of overtime pay toward retirement benefits for state
employees. Attorney General Strange advocated this legislation to provide this
benefit for law enforcement and correctional officers, who often are required to
work large amounts of overtime.
House Bill 255 is sponsored by Rep. Jay Love, and was approved this
afternoon by a vote of 100 to one. Its companion bill, Senate Bill 285, sponsored
by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, is scheduled for hearing in the Senate Finance and
Taxation General Fund Committee at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
The law currently does not provide for law enforcement officers and
firefighters to have overtime payments included in their retirement contributions
toward their pensions. This was brought to light after the Attorney General’s
Office received a request for a legal opinion about this practice.
“Alabama’s law enforcement officers and firefighters make a tremendous
sacrifice through long hours of hard and dangerous work to protect our
citizens,” said Attorney General Strange. “We advocated this change in the law
to provide an important compensation for their dedicated public service. I want
to thank Rep. Jay Love and Rep. Jim Barton for their leadership in getting this bill
quickly approved by the House of Representatives. “
This legislation covers not only state employees, but also applies to local
law enforcement officers and firefighters who participate in the State of Alabama
Retirement System.
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501 Washington Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
