A new bill filed by State Rep. Allen Chesser in the North Carolina House seeks to enable 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, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. 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.
Chesser graduated from North Carolina Wesleyan University in 2019 with a BS.
Chesser, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 25th House district, replacing previous state representative James Gailliard.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Chesser, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and Jeff Zenger | HB 272 | 03/04/2025 | The Sergeant Mickey Hutchens Act. |
| Allen Chesser, Bill Ward, Brenden H. Jones, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 224 | 02/26/2025 | Strengthen Our Tribal Communities Act. |
| Allen Chesser, Charles Smith, Dennis Riddell, and Edward C. Goodwin | HB 227 | 02/26/2025 | U.S. & N.C. Flags/Made In USA. |
| Allen Chesser, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 118 | 02/13/2025 | Disabled Veterans Tax Relief Bill. |
| Allen Chesser, Brian Biggs, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 112 | 02/12/2025 | Increase Permissible Interstate Speed Limit. |
| Allen Chesser, Allen Buansi, Jarrod Lowery, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 93 | 02/10/2025 | Constitutional Amendment/Repeal Literacy Test. |
| Allen Chesser, Edward C. Goodwin, Erin Paré, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 94 | 02/10/2025 | Dis. Veteran Homestead Excl. Prequalification. |
| Allen Chesser, Dante Pittman, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Kelly E. Hastings | HB 69 | 02/06/2025 | Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act. |
| Allen Chesser, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Kyle Hall | HB 46 | 02/04/2025 | Make Healthcare Affordable. |
| Allen Chesser, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 50 | 02/04/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| Allen Chesser, Brenden H. Jones, Heather H. Rhyne, and Jay Adams | HB 35 | 02/03/2025 | Establish Military Appreciation Month. |
| Allen Chesser, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and Edward C. Goodwin | HB 38 | 02/03/2025 | Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act. |
| Allen Chesser, Erin Paré, Harry Warren, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 11 | 01/29/2025 | No Tax on Tips, Overtime, Bonus Pay. |
