LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Corrections officers from across the rallied today in Lansing last week, demanding that state lawmakers take action on frozen legislation that would phase them into pension plans with state police.
After passing both chambers of the Michigan Legislature last year, the bills stalled and have not been forwarded to Governor Whitmer for her signature.
Under the legislation, corrections officers like those at Lakeland Correctional facility in Coldwater would move from a 401(k)-only plan to a hybrid pension system shared with state police, a step aimed at improving hiring and retention in the Corrections Department.
Michigan Corrections Organization president Byron Osborn says he questions the integrity of the legislative process, and he says he’s frustrated that the bills passed both chambers with bipartisan support last year, but are still being withheld from Governor’s desk.
The Michigan Senate has filed a lawsuit against the House for not sending the bills to the governor, and they’re waiting a Michigan Court of Appeals date. Meanwhile, House Speaker Matt Hall says he’s seeking a legal review before advancing bills passed in the previous session.
Osborn says Michigan’s corrections system has faced a staffing crisis for almost a decade and his organization has spent years working with lawmakers to fix the retirement plan for their officers. He warns that this delay in passing these pension bills is hurting their recruitment efforts.
As of early this year, data shows the Michigan Department of Corrections had more than 2,200 job vacancies, including nearly 1,000 corrections officer positions. The staffing shortage drove overtime costs to almost $120 million in fiscal year 2024.
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