State Rep. Karl Bohnak on Tuesday announced his support for legislation to eliminate the pension tax paid by retired state corrections officers. There are three state-operated corrections facilities in Bohnak’s district, including the Alger Correctional Facility, Baraga Correctional Facility, and the Marquette Branch Prison.

“Our retired corrections officers spent their entire professional careers enduring one of the most grueling positions in government,” said Bohnak, R-Deerton. “The least we can do is let them keep all of their hard-earned pensions. They did the hard work day after day, week after week, and year after year. I’m proud to support a package that finally recognizes and rewards that hard work.”

In 2023, the Legislature approved a tax relief plan to help retirees throughout Michigan. The plan allowed retired police, fire, and corrections personnel to fully deduct their pensions from state income taxes. However, the policy only applied to corrections officers employed by county sheriffs, leaving out those who served in state prisons.

House Bill 4201 – introduced by Rep. Kathy Schmaltz, R-Jackson – would ensure that Michigan Department of Corrections retirees receive the same tax relief as their local counterparts. The measure would fully exempt their pensions from the state income tax.

HB 4201 was referred to the House Finance Committee for consideration.

###