SENATE BILL 609

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES; PROVIDING FIVE YEARS OF FREE SERVICE CREDIT TO VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Public Employees Retirement Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] FREE SERVICE CREDIT--VIETNAM ERA UNIFORMED MILITARY SERVICE.--A member of the association who served in the uniformed military service of the United States during the Vietnam era, between 1961 and 1973, shall be granted one month free service credit for each month of uniformed military service not to exceed five years free service credit if:

          A. the member has five years or more service credit acquired as a result of personal service rendered in the employ of an affiliated public employer;

          B. the member received an honorable discharge from uniformed military service;

          C. the free service credit is not granted for periods of service in the uniformed military services that are used to obtain or increase a benefit from another retirement program; and

          D. the free service credit is not granted for periods of service for which free service credit has been granted pursuant to Section 10-11-6 NMSA 1978 or for which service credit has been purchased pursuant to Section 10-11-7 NMSA 1978."

- 2 -