AN ACT AWARDING SPECIAL PENSION BENEFITS TO JAMES H. HARBISON, TRANSFERRING MONIES INTO THE SPECIAL PENSION FUND CREATED BY VOLUME 61, CHAPTER 455, LAWS OF DELAWARE, AND DIRECTING THE BOARD OF PENSION TRUSTEES TO ADMINISTER PAYMENT OF THE PENSION PROVIDED BY THIS ACT AS IF THE AWARD WERE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 55, TITLE 29, DELAWARE CODE.
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison is currently employed as Executive Secretary by the Commission of Veterans Affairs, Department of State, State of Delaware; and
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison, prior to becoming a state employee, served over six years as a member of the Governor's Veterans Affairs Committee established by Executive Order No. 67, dated December 15, 1978; and
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison has distinguished himself as a respected, tenacious and exceptionally competent spokesman for Delaware's military veterans with members of both the Executive and Legislative Branches of Delaware government; and
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison has, for the past year, been engaged in an unrelenting battle against the ravages of cancer; and
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison has only accrued four and one-half years of creditable serve in the Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan; and
WHEREAS, James H. Harbison should be rewarded for his dedicated and devoted service to the State of Delaware and her approximately 79,000 veterans.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. The Board of Pension Trustees is hereby authorized and directed to grant James H. Harbison, a disability pension, effective the month after his termination from State service or after his death as if such pension were awarded pursuant to Chapter 55, Title 29 of the Delaware Code.
Section 2. The Budget Director and the Controller General are authorized to transfer the sum of $21,620.22 from the Budget Office Contingency Appropriation in Senate Bill No. 500 of the 135th General Assembly for Budget Office Contingency (10-02-04), to the Special Pension Fund authorized by Volume 61, Chapter 455, Laws of Delaware, for the purpose of implementing the provisions of Section 1 of this Act.