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Minutes for HB2509 - Committee on Insurance and Pensions
Short Title
Expanding deferred retirement option program (DROP) membership to all KP&F members.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 9, 2022
Chairperson opened the hearing on HB2509.
David Weise, Assistant Revisor, Office of Revisor of Statutes provided an overview of the bill. Revisor stood for questions. (Attachment1)
Alan Conroy, KPERS, provided neutral informational testimony about the deferred retirement option program (DROP). (Attachment2) Mr. Conroy stood for questions.
Proponent Testimony:
Ed Klumpp, Legislative Liaison, testified the associations support HB2509 which will expand the availability of the DROP program as an option for all Kansas Police and Firemen employers. Currently the DROP is only offered to Kansas Bureau of Investigarion and Kansas Highway Patrol. (Attachment3)
Matt Blassingame, Topeka Police Department Chief Steward representing the Kansas State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police testified the bill would permit expansion of DROP to include any member of the Kansas Police and Fire retirement system administered by KPERS and would allow local city and county law enforcement agencies the option to offer DROP, which may help reduce the number of law enforcement officers retiring. (Attachment4)
Robert Wing, retired Captain, Fire Department, Wyandotte Co. & Kansas City Kansas, testified DROPs are of benefit to both employers and the affected employee and believe that having senior fire fighters and police officers remain on the departments for a period of time is a positive for both the agency and community. (Attachment5)
Darrell Atteberry, Chief of Police, Bel Aire Kansas, testified that after working 33.5 years for the city of Wichita and retiring with nearly 5 years of DROP benefits, he was able to buy down his retirement date with the city of Wichita by using his thousand hours of accrued sick leave and roll his lump sum payment over into a retirement fund. Because of the availability of the DROP in Wichita, he was able to do what he loved to do longer. (Attachment6)
Tim Smith, Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs submitted written proponent testimony. (Attachment7)
Chairperson asked for any other proponents, opponents, neutral testimony or questions. Chairperson closed the hearing on HB2509.
