HB 594 Summary

• Allows recently retired police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical workers to be reemployed during a declared emergency without forfeiting their retirement allowance if they retired less than one year before the emergency declaration.

• Permits retirees to be rehired even if their professional certification expired less than one year before the emergency declaration (peace officer training, fire service training, or emergency medical technician certification).

• Allows deferred retirement option plan participants in multiple pension systems (PERS, OPFPF, SERS, and state highway patrol) to continue working past their scheduled employment end date during an emergency declaration without penalty.

• Defines "emergency declaration" as orders issued by the governor, president, federal agencies, state health officials, or local health boards under specified Ohio Revised Code sections.

• Declares the act an emergency measure effective immediately to address urgent needs arising from the COVID-19 outbreak.