A new bill filed by State Sen. Carl Ford seeks to create a separation allowance option for state and local law enforcement officers with extensive service, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 320 on March 17 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘LEO Special Separation Allowance Options.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill establishes a new special separation allowance option for state and local law enforcement officers in North Carolina with at least 30 years of creditable service, effective July 1, 2025. It provides two calculation methods for the annual allowance: officers can receive 0.85% of their most recent annual base salary for each year of service or 0.85% of the salary at 30 years of service. The allowance ceases upon death, reemployment, or reaching age 62, with exceptions for certain reemployments. The bill delineates eligibility and payment responsibilities, ensuring that benefits are not influenced by other retirement systems.
A related bill, HB 50, was also filed in the North Carolina House, introduced by Rep. A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. (and three others) on Feb. 4, 2025.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Vickie Sawyer proposed the most bills (14) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Ford, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 33rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Cathy Dunn.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Ford, Phil Berger, and Vickie Sawyer | SB 320 | 03/17/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| Carl Ford | SB 230 | 03/05/2025 | Expand Homestead Exclusion Inc. Elig. Limit. |
| Carl Ford and Bobby Hanig | SB 193 | 02/26/2025 | Update Register of Deeds’ Supp. Pension Fund. |
| Carl Ford, Bobby Hanig, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 135 | 02/24/2025 | Expand Homestead Exclusion Inc. Elig. Limit. |
| Carl Ford, Eddie D. Settle, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 123 | 02/21/2025 | Flags at Every School. |
| Carl Ford, Bobby Hanig, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 91 | 02/12/2025 | Newborn Safety Devices. |
| Carl Ford, Bobby Hanig, and W. Ted Alexander | SB 92 | 02/12/2025 | Released Time Education Act. |
| Carl Ford and Bobby Hanig | SB 93 | 02/12/2025 | Portability of Leave/Charter Schools. |
| Carl Ford, Amy S. Galey, and Ralph Hise | SB 48 | 02/04/2025 | Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All. |
| Carl Ford | SB 36 | 01/30/2025 | China Grove Even Year Elections. |
| Carl Ford | SB 22 | 01/29/2025 | 33rd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
