May 26, 2005

The Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
President of the Senate
State House
Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Mr. President:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, today I have vetoed Senate Bill 665 - Employees' Pension System - Transfer of Service Credit.

This bill allows an individual of the Employees' Pension System (EPS) to transfer accumulated years of service from the Correctional Officers' Retirement System (CORS) to EPS. The employee may participate in this transfer if the individual does so by December 31, 2005 and: 1) was a correctional officer and joined CORS on or before December 1, 1983; 2) was a Correctional Case Management Specialist and joined EPS on or before June 1, 1997; 3) prior to accepting employment as a Correctional Case Management Specialist was eligible to receive a deferred vested allowance from CORS as early as December 1, 2006; and 4) had not transferred the years of creditable service accrued in CORS to EPS on January 1, 2005. The bill is effective from July 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005.

House Bill 920, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me, accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign Senate Bill 665.

Very truly yours,
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
Governor