Gavin Newsom vetoes California pension reform bill for first responders

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 1383, a piece of legislation intended to enhance retirement benefits for first responders, including police officers and firefighters.

Authored by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, the bill sought to increase compensation limits for pensions to help address rising vacancies in safety-related roles across the state. Supporters argued that previous reductions in retirement formulas have made it difficult to recruit and retain the next generation of emergency personnel.

In his veto statement, Newsom argued that the measure would partially reverse previous pension reforms and significantly increase costs for both state and local governments. He warned that widening the retirement benefit gap between safety members and non-safety public employees would expose the retirement system to additional risk.