A new bill filed by State Sen. Phil Berger in the North Carolina Senate seeks to provide a special separation allowance option for veteran state and local law enforcement officers, 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.
Berger graduated from Averett College with a BS and again in 1982 from Wake Forest University School of Law with a JD.
Berger, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 26th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Dave Craven.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Berger, Carl Ford, and Vickie Sawyer | SB 320 | 03/17/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| Phil Berger, Lisa S. Barnes, and Paul Newton | SB 261 | 03/10/2025 | Energy Security and Affordability Act. |
| Phil Berger, Brad Overcash, and Michael V. Lee | SB 227 | 03/03/2025 | Eliminating “DEI” in Public Education. |
| Phil Berger, Buck Newton, and Warren Daniel | SB 153 | 02/24/2025 | North Carolina Border Protection Act. |
| Phil Berger | SB 33 | 01/30/2025 | 26th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
