By Karen Middleton
Will the third time be the charm?
Rep. Henry White, D-Athens, is sponsoring House Bill 867 that would allow Retired Senior Volunteer Program Director Betty Ruth to buy into the Retirement Systems of Alabama.
Ruth has never been a state employee; however, she formerly operated the RSVP office on the Athens State University campus under a federal grant until the State Department of Public Examiners ruled the school could no longer maintain the program on campus.
White said this is the second consecutive year he has sponsored the legislation “as a courtesy” to Ruth. White serves on the RSVP Board of Directors.
Retired District 5 representative Tommy Carter said he had also sponsored legislation to allow Ruth to buy into RSA.
Each time, the bill did not make it out of the Education Policy Committee, according to both White and Carter.
White said it is possible for non-state employees to be allowed to buy in, “if they can get someone to sponsor it.”
“I think in the past some have gotten in that came from other areas,” said White.
White said “right off hand” he couldn’t recall which non-state employees had been allowed in.
“But I’ve heard of others,” said White. “Maybe it was someone from TVA.”
White said that Ruth is vested and the bill would enable her to buy credit for up to eight more years’ service as director of RSVP, which is not a member agency of the retirement system.
The cost to buy in varies and is based on the person’s age and projected life expectancy.
White acknowledged that it’s “tough” to get such a bill out of committee.
