HB0011 • 2023

State park rangers-retirement.

AN ACT relating to retirement; providing for full-time state park ranger participation in the law enforcement plan under the Wyoming Retirement Act; making conforming amendments; authorizing election by current full-time state park rangers; specifying implementation; and providing for an effective date.

Elections Labor

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Judiciary
Last action: 2023-03-02
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 3/2/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details about the implementation date or the inability to rescind an election after April 30, 2023. These points were inferred from the bill text and may need further verification.

State Park Rangers Retirement Act

This law allows full-time state park rangers to join a special retirement plan for police officers and similar workers.

What This Bill Does

Adds full-time state park rangers to the list of people who can join the law enforcement retirement program in Wyoming.

Who It Names or Affects

Full-time state park rangers who work for Wyoming.

Terms To Know

Law enforcement officer: A person like a police officer or sheriff who works to keep the peace and enforce laws.
Retirement plan: A savings program that helps workers save money for when they stop working, usually after many years of service.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only affects full-time state park rangers who are employed before July 1, 2023.
Current full-time state park rangers must choose by April 30, 2023 if they want to stay in their old retirement plan or join the new one.

Bill History

2023-03-02 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 136
2023-03-02 Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0072
2023-02-27 Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0072
2023-02-27 House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0072
2023-02-27 LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0072
2023-02-27 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-2-0-0-0
2023-02-24 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-23 Senate
S COW:Passed
2023-02-23 Senate
S Placed on General File
2023-02-23 Senate
S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2023-02-22 Senate
:Rerefer to S02 - Appropriations
2023-02-22 Senate
S05 - Agriculture:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2023-02-16 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture
2023-01-27 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2023-01-20 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-1-1-0-0
2023-01-19 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-01-18 House
H COW:Passed
2023-01-17 House
H Placed on General File
2023-01-17 House
H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0
2023-01-13 House
:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations
2023-01-13 House
H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2023-01-11 House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary
2023-01-06 House
H Received for Introduction
2022-12-02 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0091
Bill No.:

HB0011

Effective:

Immediately

LSO No.:

23LSO-0091

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0072

Chapter No.:

136

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

Catch Title:

State park rangers-retirement.

Subject:

Authorizing full-time state park rangers to participate in the state's law enforcement retirement program.

Summary/Major Elements:

Under current law, law enforcement officers can participate in a state retirement program where their contributions and their distributions are calculated differently from the main retirement program that applies to most state employees. State park rangers are not included as law enforcement officers under current law.

This act authorizes full-time state park rangers to participate in the law enforcement retirement program.

The act allows full-time state park rangers to elect to continue in the main retirement program if they provide notice to the Wyoming Retirement Board by April 30, 2023 of their election to continue participation as a general member in the main retirement program. An election under this act cannot later be rescinded.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0091

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0011

ENROLLED ACT NO. 72,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to retirement; providing for full-time state park ranger participation in the law enforcement plan under the Wyoming Retirement Act; making conforming amendments; authorizing election by current full-time state park rangers; specifying implementation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
402(a)(xviii) and 9
‑
3
‑
432(o)(intro) are amended to read:

9
‑
3
‑
402.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(xviii)

"Law enforcement officer" or "officer" means any member who is a county sheriff, deputy county sheriff, municipal police officer, duly authorized investigator of the Wyoming livestock board meeting the specifications of W.S. 7
‑
2
‑
101(a)(iv)(E), duly authorized personnel of the Wyoming gaming commission meeting the specifications of W.S. 7
‑
2
‑
101(a)(iv)(P), investigator employed by the Wyoming state board of outfitters and professional guides meeting the specifications of W.S. 7
‑
2
‑
101(a)(iv)(J), Wyoming correctional officer, probation and parole agent employed by the Wyoming department of corrections, Wyoming law enforcement academy instructor,
full
‑
time state park ranger,
University of Wyoming campus police officer, community college police officer, detention officer or dispatcher for law enforcement agencies;

9
‑
3
‑
432.

Law enforcement officers; contributions; benefit eligibility; service and disability benefits; death benefits; benefit options.

(o)

Any peace officer as defined by W.S. 6
‑
1
‑
104(a)(vi)(P)
, and any full
‑
time state park ranger who is employed as a full
‑
time state park ranger before July 1, 2023 and who elects to continue participating in the Wyoming Retirement Act as a general member,
shall be eligible for disability benefits and death benefits under this section if the peace officer's disabilities or death are duty connected. Contributions for the benefits
under this section
shall be paid as follows:

Section 2
.

Coverage of a full
‑
time state park ranger as a law enforcement member under W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
432, as required by section 1 of this act, shall commence on July 1, 2023, unless a full
‑
time state park ranger elects to continue participation in the Wyoming Retirement Act as a general member. A full-time state park ranger electing to continue participation in the Wyoming Retirement Act as a general member shall provide notice to the Wyoming retirement board of that election not later than April 30, 2023. Once an election is made under this section, it shall not be rescinded.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

1