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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Nava
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2/6/2007
HB
SHORT TITLE Volunteer Firefighter Retirement Committee
SJM 26
ANALYST Schuss
APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)
Appropriation
Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY07
FY08
NFI
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates HJM 32
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Joint Memorial 26 requests that the New Mexico Legislative Council create an interim
committee or assign an appropriate interim committee to review options for amending the
Volunteer Firefighters Retirement Act
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
SJM 26 states that volunteer firefighters provide vital services in a number of localities across
the state. As volunteers, these people, unlike career firefighters, do not qualify for retirement
programs through their local governments and the volunteer firefighter retirement program can
assist local fire departments in the recruiting and retention of personnel. The administration of
the program has become problematic in determining service credit, reporting service credit,
calculating benefits and removing inactive members from the retirement database.
SJM 26 requests that the New Mexico Legislative Council appoint an interim committee or
assign an appropriate interim committee to study the provisions of the Volunteer Firefighters
Retirement Act and consider necessary amendments to the act. It is also requested that the Public
Employees Retirement Association, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Fire Service Council, the
New Mexico Municipal League and the New Mexico Association of Counties be consulted