# Michigan Senate Passes Bills Adding Corrections Officers to State Police Pension Plan
LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate voted 27-8 last week to advance three bills that would add corrections officers, conservation officers, and other state employees to the pension system currently reserved for the Michigan State Police. The measures are part of a renewed push to address chronic staffing shortages in state prisons, but they are not expected to be taken up in the House.
Senate Bills 1133, 1134, and 1135 were introduced in July. The bills would allow corrections officers, conservation officers, and certain other law enforcement officers first hired after a specific date to join the retirement system used by state troopers. The legislation would also permit some officers to purchase service credit for time served under the state employees' retirement system.
A Long Legislative Battle
The pension bills have a contentious history. Versions of the measures passed during the 2023-2024 legislative session but were among nine bills that were not presented to the governor before the session ended. The bills sat in what lawmakers called "legislative limbo" for roughly 18 months.
A dispute between the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate led to a lawsuit that reached the state Supreme Court. In a July ruling, the court ordered the House to present the bills to the governor. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer quickly vetoed them, citing concerns about implementation after the bills had been stalled for so long.
The new Senate bills are intended to replace the vetoed versions. A Senate subcommittee approved an estimated $33 million in new spending to fund the inclusion of corrections officers in the State Police pension system.
Lawmakers Urge a Compromise
Upper Peninsula lawmakers have been vocal supporters of the pension changes. Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who authored the bills, said better retirement security is essential for keeping experienced corrections staff on the job.
"The Michigan Department of Corrections continues to struggle with severe staffing shortages that make our prisons more dangerous for both officers and prisoners," McBroom said. "Better retirement security after years of demanding, high-risk service is a vital part of retaining the most experienced staff."
Several Republican lawmakers also urged caution about protecting the integrity of the existing State Police retirement fund.
"The Legislature needs to take action to finally deliver on a promise we made to the corrections officers who face dangerous criminals every day to keep our communities safe," Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock, said. "The recently passed Senate bills need to be more narrowly targeted to benefit our corrections officers. As written, they would create an unnecessary burden on the Michigan State Police retirement fund."
Rep. David Prestin, R-Cedar River, said the department has not solved its retention problem on its own.
"Far too many recruits leave within their first year, and it shouldn't be a surprise," Prestin said. "They aren't paid enough for the dangerous conditions they work in, and their family lives are destroyed by a work-life balance that doesn't exist."
Rep. Karl Bohnak, R-Deerton, urged lawmakers to set politics aside. "Corrections officers are counting on us, but they're losing faith that anything will ever change," Bohnak said. "It's time we show some courage."
A Rocky Road Ahead in the House
Despite the Senate action, the bills face an uncertain future. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, has said he will not move the pension bills unless a deal is struck that advances major Republican legislative priorities currently pending.
The pension fight is now part of a broader set of end-of-session negotiations as the Legislature moves toward the November midterm elections, in which control of the Michigan Legislature is on the line.