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SB419 • 2026

Retirement systems; one additional year creditable service for certain individuals.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 51.1-203 and 51.1-214 of the Code of Virginia, relating to retirement systems and creditable service.</p>

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Craig
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the 'unreduced service retirement allowance' term, so it was removed from the explanation.

Retirement Systems; Additional Year Credit for Certain Individuals

This bill awards an extra year of creditable service to individuals who have reached normal retirement age in certain Virginia law enforcement retirement systems, based on their years of service.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds one additional year of creditable service for every five full years earned by members of the State Police Officers' Retirement System (SPORS) or Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS).
  • Includes an extra year of creditable service for individuals employed by localities that provide SPORS benefits to their employees.
  • Applies this additional year of creditable service only to retirements occurring on or after July 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the State Police Officers' Retirement System (SPORS).
  • Members of the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS).
  • Individuals employed by localities that provide SPORS benefits to their employees.

Terms To Know

Creditable service
The years of employment and contributions counted towards a retirement benefit.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill only affects retirements that occur on or after July 1, 2027.
  • The exact impact of the additional year of creditable service is not detailed beyond its inclusion in calculating retirement benefits.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Finance and Appropriations

    Continued to 2027 in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  2. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Virginia Retirement System (SB419)

  3. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102319D

  4. 2026-01-13 Finance and Appropriations

    Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Retirement systems and creditable service.
Awards an individual who has reached normal retirement age under the State Police Officers' Retirement System (SPORS) or Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS), as determined by relevant law, one additional year of creditable service for every five full years of creditable service earned (i) as a member of SPORS, (ii) as a member of VaLORS, or (iii) while employed by a locality that has elected to provide SPORS-benefits to its employees. This bill only affects those retirements that take place on or after July 1, 2027.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A BILL to amend and reenact §§
51.1-203
and
51.1-214
of the Code of Virginia, relating to retirement systems and creditable service.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§
51.1-203
and
51.1-214
of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§
51.1-203
. Creditable service.

A.
1.
Service qualifying for credit under the provisions of the Virginia Retirement System shall be included as creditable service for the purposes of this chapter, provided the requirements set forth in Chapter 1 (§
51.1-124.1
et seq.) of this title for crediting service have been complied with and any payment required is credited in the member's contribution account.

2.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for retirements on or after July 1, 2027, any member who is eligible to receive an unreduced service retirement allowance pursuant to subdivision A 1 of §
51.1-206
shall be awarded one additional year of creditable service for every five full years of creditable service earned as of the effective date of his retirement (i) as a member in the retirement system established by this chapter, (ii) as a member in the retirement system established by Chapter 2.1 (§
51.1-211
et seq.), or (iii) while earning the benefits permitted by §
51.1-138
. Any such additional years of service credit shall be included in the member
'
s creditable service for purposes of th
is
title, except it shall not be included for purposes of determining eligibility for the allowance payable under subsection B of §
51.1-206
. This subdivision shall apply to all creditable service earned by a member as of the effective date of his retirement regardless of the date of such service
.

B. If a member ceases to be employed as a state police officer, has not received a refund of the accumulated contributions credited to his member's contribution account, and accepts employment in a position covered by the Virginia Retirement System or the Judicial Retirement System, he shall be entitled to credit for his previous creditable service under this chapter. His accumulated contributions shall be transferred and credited to his member's contribution account in the appropriate retirement system. Future retirement rights shall be as set forth under the provisions of the appropriate retirement system.

§
51.1-214
. Creditable service.

A.
1.
Service qualifying for credit under the provisions of the Virginia Retirement System shall be included as creditable service for the purposes of this chapter, provided the requirements set forth in Chapter 1 (§
51.1-124.1
et seq.) of this title for crediting service have been complied with and any payment required is credited in the member's contribution account.

2.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for retirements on or after July 1, 2027, any member who is eligible to receive an unreduced service retirement allowance pursuant to subdivision A 1 of §
51.1-217
shall be awarded one additional year of creditable service for every five full years of creditable service earned as of the effective date of his retirement (i) as a member in the retirement system established by this chapter, (ii) as a member in the retirement system established by Chapter 2 (§
51.1-200
et seq.), or (iii) while earning the benefits permitted by §
51.1-138
. Any such additional years of service credit shall be included in the member
'
s creditable service for purposes of th
is
title, except it shall not be included for purposes of determining eligibility for the allowance payable under subsection B of §
51.1-217
. This subdivision shall apply to all creditable service earned by a member as of the effective date of his retirement regardless of the date of such service
.

B. If a member ceases to be an employee, has not received a refund of the accumulated contributions credited to his member's contribution account, and accepts employment in a position covered by the Virginia Retirement System, the Judicial Retirement System or the State Police Officers' Retirement System, he shall be entitled to credit for his previous creditable service under this chapter. His accumulated contributions shall be transferred and credited to his member's contribution account in the appropriate retirement system. Future retirement rights shall be as set forth under the provisions of the appropriate retirement system.