Kansas Public Employees Retirement System

The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) was authorized by the 1961 legislature to provide an orderly means whereby employees of participating employers who have attained retirement age may be retired from active service without prejudice, without inflicting a hardship upon the employees retired, and to effect economy and efficiency in the administration of governmental affairs. The act under which KPERS operates provides for the state of Kansas to become a participating employer. It further provides for participation by cities, counties, townships, special districts or any instrumentality of any one or several of the aforementioned units of government whose employees are covered by social security and not covered by or eligible for and will not become eligible for another retirement plan authorized under the laws of the state of Kansas. Currently KPERS provides three defined-benefit plans for state and local public employees: KPERS, Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F), and the Kansas Retirement System for Judges. [Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. "Welcome to KPERS." http://www.kpers.org/ (accessed 10 March 2009).] [Secretary of State. Kansas Biennial Report. Topeka: Secretary of State, 1962.]