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<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="12-203" title_number="12" title_name="Other Powers of Counties -- Generally" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Pensions; Group Insurance">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County may provide retirement funds for employees who reach retirement age before the establishment of a pension plan under § 12–201 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall establish a separate pension plan for sworn employees of the Charles County Sheriff’s department who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>are actively engaged in law enforcement; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>were working in law enforcement within the department on or before June 30, 1986.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire if the member has at least 30 years of active service regardless of age.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance equal to 80% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire with an early retirement allowance if the member has at least 20 years but less than 30 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance under paragraph (2)(ii) of this subsection, reduced by 2% for each year that the member’s early retirement date precedes the date the member would have had 30 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The contribution rate of a member may not exceed 8% of the member’s base salary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The pension plan shall include disability provisions and death benefits for the spouse of a member, minor children of a member, or both.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for cost–of–living adjustments and a cash refund of member contributions, plus interest, for a member who terminates employment with the Charles County Sheriff’s department before retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for a credit of 2% for each year of active duty in the armed forces of the United States, for up to 3 years, to be added to the member’s retirement after reaching minimum retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>For each member, the provisions of the pension plan shall apply retroactively to the member’s original date of employment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>The pension plan is effective on or after July 1, 1995.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall establish a separate pension plan for sworn employees of the Charles County Sheriff’s department who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>are actively engaged in law enforcement; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>were hired by the Sheriff’s department on or after July 1, 1986.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire if the member has at least 30 years of active service regardless of age.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance equal to 80% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire with an early retirement allowance if the member has at least 25 years but less than 30 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance under paragraph (2)(ii) of this subsection, reduced by 2% for each year that the member’s early retirement date precedes the date the member would have had 30 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The pension plan shall include provisions for early retirement after 20 years of service that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>actuarially reduce the retirement allowance depending on the member’s age at the time of retirement and for each year less than 25 years of service; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>are approved by the county commissioners.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The contribution rate of a member may not exceed 8% of the member’s base salary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The pension plan shall include disability provisions and death benefits for the spouse of a member, minor children of a member, or both.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for cost–of–living adjustments and a cash refund of member contributions, plus interest, for a member who terminates employment with the Charles County Sheriff’s department before retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for a credit of 2% for each year of active duty in the armed forces of the United States, for up to 3 years, to be added to the member’s retirement after reaching minimum retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>The provisions of the pension plan may include any member who was working in law enforcement on July 1, 1986, and shall apply retroactively to the date of that employment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>The pension plan is effective on or after July 1, 1995.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The pension plan established under subsection (b) or (c) of this section may include the Charles County Sheriff.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall establish a separate pension plan for employees of the Charles County Sheriff’s department who are classified as correctional officers.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire if the member has at least 25 years of active service regardless of age.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance equal to 2.25% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement multiplied by each year of the member’s years of credited service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A member’s retirement allowance provided under this paragraph may not exceed 75% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire with an early retirement allowance if the member has at least 20 years but less than 25 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The pension plan shall include provisions for early retirement after 20 years of active service that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>actuarially reduce the retirement allowance depending on the member’s age at the time of retirement and for each year less than 25 years of service; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>are approved by the county commissioners.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The contribution rate of a member may not exceed 7% of the member’s base salary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The pension plan shall include disability provisions and death benefits for the spouse of a member, minor children of a member, or both.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for cost–of–living adjustments and a cash refund of member contributions for a member who terminates employment with the Charles County Sheriff’s department before retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for a credit for each year of active duty in the armed forces of the United States, for up to 3 years, to be added to the member’s retirement after reaching minimum retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>The provisions of the pension plan may include any member who was working as a Charles County correctional officer on July 1, 1995, and shall apply retroactively to the date of that employment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>The pension plan is effective on or after July 1, 1995.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The County Commissioners of Charles County shall establish a separate pension plan for employees of Charles County who are classified as communications employees.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire if the member has at least 25 years of active service regardless of age.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>On retirement under this paragraph, a member is entitled to receive a retirement allowance equal to 2% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement multiplied by each year of the member’s years of credited service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A member’s retirement allowance provided under this paragraph may not exceed 75% of the member’s average base salary for the 3 highest years preceding retirement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A member may retire with an early retirement allowance if the member has at least 20 years but less than 25 years of active service.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The pension plan shall include provisions for early retirement after 20 years of active service that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>actuarially reduce the retirement allowance depending on the member’s age at the time of retirement and for each year less than 25 years of service; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>are approved by the county commissioners.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The contribution rate of a member may not exceed 7% of the member’s base salary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The pension plan shall include disability provisions and death benefits for the spouse of a member, minor children of a member, or both.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for cost–of–living adjustments and a cash refund of member contributions for a member who terminates employment as a communications employee for Charles County before retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The pension plan shall provide for a credit for each year of active duty in the armed forces of the United States, for up to 3 years, to be added to the member’s retirement after reaching minimum retirement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>The provisions of the pension plan may include any member who was working as a communications employee for Charles County on July 1, 1995, and shall apply retroactively to the date of that employment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>The pension plan is effective on or after July 1, 1995.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
