Kansas2026Passed Legislature
HB2008
HB2008: Expanding Security Officer Definition for Juvenile Corrections Staff
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:52 AM
In one sentence
This bill changes state law to include certain juvenile corrections officers and other staff with regular inmate contact in the definition of security officer for KPERS retirement purposes.
What it does
- Adds specific job classes, including juvenile services corrections officers I (A), I (B), II, and III, to the legal definition of a security officer.
- Includes supervisors promoted from qualifying correctional or juvenile positions if they had at least three consecutive years of service in those roles before promotion.
- Extends the security officer label to staff who directly operate power plants, industries, food services, or maintenance within correctional institutions and have regular contact with inmates.
- Updates references so that 'department of corrections' includes both adult correctional institutions and juvenile correctional facilities for these rules.
- Applies these changes to determine retirement dates, benefits, and employer contribution rates.
Who it affects
- Employees in specific job classes within the Kansas Department of Corrections, including juvenile services corrections officers.
- Supervisors promoted from qualifying security or juvenile officer roles who had at least three consecutive years of service prior to promotion.
- Staff directly operating power plants, industries, food services, or maintenance inside correctional institutions who have regular contact with inmates.
Limits and unknowns
- The bill text states it passed both chambers but also lists a status of 'Died in Committee,' creating uncertainty about its final legal standing.
- Changes apply only to employees hired on or after the effective date, which is listed as July 1, 2025.
Plain language
Terms to know
- KPERS
- The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System that manages retirement benefits for state workers.
- Security Officer
- A legal category of employee eligible for special disability and retirement rules due to the risks of their job, now including certain juvenile corrections staff.
- Service-Connected Disability
- An injury or illness resulting from external force, violence, or disease caused by an act of duty; after five years of service, this includes heart and lung diseases unless the employee stops contributing for six months or more.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Modifying the definition of security officer to include certain juvenile corrections officer positions for purposes of the KPERS correctional employees group.
Official activity
Bill history
- Died in CommitteeHouse
- Referred to House Committee on Financial Institutions and PensionsHouse
- IntroducedHouse