The Committee on Ways and Means proposes the following amendment (LC-127.SA0002H):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:

SECTION X. Article 1, Chapter 11, Title 9 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 Section 9-11-28. (A) After December 31, 2025, any person who is a full-time master-in-equity shall participate in the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System for his service as a master-in-equity.
 (B) From July 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026, a full-time master-in-equity who elects to transfer credited service received under the South Carolina Retirement System to the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System may do so upon payment of the accumulated employer and employee contributions and interest in the South Carolina Retirement System plus five percent of his annual salary in effect as of June 30, 2025, for each year of service prorated for periods of less than a year. After January 1, 2026, a master-in-equity may elect to transfer credited service received under the South Carolina Retirement System to the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System as provided in Section 9-11-40(9).

SECTION X. Section 9-11-90(4)(a)(ii) of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (D) the member has not been engaged to perform services for a participating employer in the system or any other system provided in this title for compensation in any capacity, whether as an employee, independent contractor, leased employee, joint employee, or other classification of worker, for a period of at least twelve consecutive months subsequent to retirement. The exemption provided under this subitem does not apply unless the member first certifies to the system that he satisfies the requirements for the exemption. If a member inaccurately certifies that he satisfies the requirements for the exemption provided in this subitem, the member is responsible for reimbursing the system for any benefits wrongly paid to the member; or
 (E) compensation received by the retired member from the covered employer is for employment in a critical needs law enforcement position as determined by the Law Enforcement Training Council. For the provisions of this subitem to apply, the Law Enforcement Training Council must review and approve, from the documentation provided by the covered employer, that no qualified, nonretired member is available for employment in the position, and that the member selected for employment meets the requirements of this subitem. No later than January 1, 2026, and each January first thereafter, the Law Enforcement Training Council must submit a report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee of the positions requested for inclusion in the earnings limitation exception under this subitem for the following fiscal year. Effective July 1, 2026, and each July first thereafter, the earnings limitation exception provided in this subitem only applies to those positions approved by action of the General Assembly for the fiscal year in response to the report submitted by the Law Enforcement Training Council. The Law Enforcement Training Council shall develop guidelines and curriculum for these officers to be recertified and may not require recertification through basic training for those that have been inactive for a year or more.

SECTION X. Section 9-1-1790(A)(2) of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (d) the member has not been engaged to perform services for a participating employer in the system or any other system provided in this title for compensation in any capacity, whether as an employee, independent contractor, leased employee, joint employee, or other classification of worker, for a period of at least twelve consecutive months subsequent to retirement. The exemption provided under this subitem does not apply unless the member first certifies to the system that he satisfies the requirements for the exemption. If a member inaccurately certifies that he satisfies the requirements for the exemption provided in this subitem, the member is responsible for reimbursing the system for any benefits wrongly paid to the member.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.