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Minutes for HB2196 - Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance
Short Title
Expanding deferred retirement option program (DROP) membership to all Kansas police and firemen's retirement system members.
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 9, 2023
Eileen Ma, Assistant Revisor, ROS, presented the Revisor's Memorandum brief regarding HB2196. (Attachment 3)
Alan Conroy, Executive Director, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), presented informational testimony regarding the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) expansion. He explained why the program was created and details about the pilot program. He spoke about the current law's use; DROP participation; the potential costs of a DROP; and the administrative costs of expanding the program. A two-page FAQ summary of DROP is included. He stated that on February 23, 2023, HB2196 was passed in the House with a final action vote of 120-1. Mr. Conroy responded to questions from Senators Pittman, Fagg, Dietrich, and Gossage. (Attachment 4)
Oral Proponents:
Darrell Atteberry, Chief of Police Department, Bel Aire, Kansas, testified virtually via Webex in support of the bill. (Attachment 5)
Ed Klumpp, Legislative Liaison for Associations of Chiefs of Police, Sheriffs, and Kansas Peace Officers expressed the Associations' support for passage of the bill. Mr. Klumpp responded to questions from Senators Fagg and Pittman. (Attachment 6)
Chris Wing, Firefighter, Wyandotte County, Kansas, and Director, Kansas State Council of Fire Fighters testified in favor of HB2196. Mr. Wing responded to a question from Chairperson Longbine. (Attachment 7)
Matt Blassingame, Topeka Police Department, Chief Steward-Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Lodge 3, and Kansas State Lodge-FOP, gave supporting testimony on the bill. (Attachment 8) Mr. Blassingame's co-author, John Culver, Shawnee County Sheriff's Department-Chief Steward-FOP could not attend today, but contributed to the testimony preparation on behalf of the Sheriffs. Mr. Blassingame responded to a question from Chairperson Longbine.
Chairperson Longbine pointed attention to the Written-Only Proponent testimony of Ryan Trader, Fire Captain, Olathe Fire Department and KPERS Board Member. (Attachment 9)
There being no further questions or discussion, and no other proponent, opponent, or neutral testimony was submitted, Chairperson Longbine closed the hearing on HB2196.
The meeting adjourned at 10:10 am. The next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 9:30 am, in room 546-South of the Capitol.
