45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF ALLOWING A VOLUNTEER, NON-SALARIED FIREFIGHTER MEMBER TO COLLECT HIS RETIREMENT ANNUITY EVEN IF HE IS RETIRED BY OR RECEIVING AN ANNUITY FROM ANOTHER PLAN CREATED OR ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE.

WHEREAS, over the years, the citizens of the state of New Mexico have benefited immensely from the selfless services of volunteer, non-salaried firefighters; and

WHEREAS, many of those volunteer firefighters have served their respective communities for up to twenty-five years; and

WHEREAS, volunteer firefighters put themselves in harm's way time and again in order to protect the people of their communities; and

WHEREAS, a number of New Mexico's volunteer firefighters are also serving the state as public employees; and

WHEREAS, encouraging citizens to serve in the public sector is both desirable and beneficial to the state; and

WHEREAS, a volunteer firefighter, regardless of how long he has served as a volunteer firefighter in New Mexico, cannot receive an annuity from the volunteer firefighters retirement fund and at the same time be retired by or receiving an annuity from any other retirement, pension or annuity plan created or established by the state;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public employees retirement association be requested to study the feasibility of allowing a volunteer, non-salaried firefighter who is eligible for a retirement annuity from the volunteer firefighters retirement fund to collect such an annuity as well as any other retirement annuity that he may be entitled to receive from another state retirement, pension or annuity plan; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be forwarded to the retirement board of the public employees retirement association and the executive secretary of the public employees retirement association.