AB 973

Under current law, participants under the Wisconsin Retirement System

(WRS) whose principal duties involve active law enforcement or fire suppression or

prevention and require frequent exposure to a high degree of danger or peril and a

high degree of physical conditioning are classified as protective occupation

participants. Current law specifically classifies police officers, fire fighters, and

various other individuals as protective occupation participants. Under the WRS, the

normal retirement age of a protective occupation participant is lower than that of

other participants and the percentage multiplier used to calculate retirement

annuities is higher for protective occupation participants than for other participants.

This bill permits counties to classify county jailers, detention officers, and

correctional officers eligible as protective occupation participants under the WRS

without a requirement that their principal duties involve active law enforcement or

active fire suppression or prevention.

Because this bill relates to public employee retirement or pensions, it may be

referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems for a report to be

printed as an appendix to the bill.