Bill helps Florida pensioners reenter their profession following retirement

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bill allowing for all individuals in the Florida Retirement System to re-enter their profession following retirement passed its first committee stop on Monday.

The legislation, SB 400, sponsored by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability.

The bill originally only qualified law enforcement to re-enter their profession after retiring from it for at least six months.

However, Burgess explained that Sen. Traci Davis, D-Jacksonville, worked with him on expanding the ability for people to re-enter professions, highlighting how educators would be able to take advantage of the opportunity.

If signed into law, retirees would be able to continue collecting their pension while being employed in their former profession.

“So that’s kind of where it all began,” he said. “So to see it go from that and now expand across all fronts is really rewarding and feels very good.”

According to the senator, retirees had to originally wait one year and one day before re-entering their profession.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, expressed his support for the legislation, arguing he didn’t believe the six month wait time was even needed.

He understood the concern with “double dipping” from one’s pension and salary, but stated that since the former retirees rightfully deserve to receive their retirement income since they earned it.