A new bill filed by State Rep. Pyrtle in the North Carolina House seeks to allow qualified law enforcement and correctional officers to buy additional retirement service credit, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 272 on March 4 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill, known as The Sergeant Mickey Hutchinson Act, allows law enforcement, probation/parole, and correctional officers with an Advanced Law Enforcement or Corrections Certificate from the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission or the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission to purchase up to four years of creditable service in the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System or the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System. This purchase is contingent upon holding a minimum of five years in service and is made by paying a lump sum equivalent to the total liability increase for the retirement system plus an administrative fee. The bill allows employers to cover some or all costs of the purchase. This act is set to become effective July 1, 2025.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Pyrtle proposed the most bills (18) 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.
Pyrtle graduated from Appalachian State University in 1989 with a BAS.
Pyrtle, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 65th House district, replacing previous state representative Jerry Carter.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Jeff Zenger | HB 272 | 03/04/2025 | The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Celeste C. Cairns, Charles W. Miller, and Donna McDowell White | HB 275 | 03/04/2025 | Failure to Yield Penalties. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Bill Ward, Charles W. Miller, and David Willis | HB 270 | 03/03/2025 | Revise Law on the Death Penalty. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Todd Carver | HB 193 | 02/25/2025 | Firearm Law Revisions. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. and Charles W. Miller | HB 198 | 02/25/2025 | Amend Law on Notice of ABC Violation. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carolyn G. Logan, Carson Smith, and Laura Budd | HB 199 | 02/25/2025 | Nonconsensual Booting and Towing Reform. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Erin Paré, James Roberson, and Sarah Crawford | HB 137 | 02/17/2025 | Gabe Torres Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., John Sauls, Neal Jackson, and Paul Scott | HB 100 | 02/11/2025 | Expand Religious Property Tax Exemption. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 50 | 02/04/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, Kelly E. Hastings, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 52 | 02/04/2025 | Protect Those Who Serve & Protect Act of 2025. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Dudley Greene | HB 61 | 02/04/2025 | Assaults on First Responders. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, Charles W. Miller, and Edward C. Goodwin | HB 38 | 02/03/2025 | Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 42 | 02/03/2025 | Burglary & B&E/Sentence Enhancement. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Carson Smith, Charles W. Miller, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 28 | 01/30/2025 | Gun Violence Prevention Act. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. | HB 17 | 01/29/2025 | Various Local Election Changes. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and David Willis | HB 2 | 01/29/2025 | Entry Fees for Interscholastic Sports Events. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. and Charles W. Miller | HB 22 | 01/29/2025 | Fire Investigation Law Revisions. |
| A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. | HB 26 | 01/29/2025 | Various Local Provisions I. |
