Studier v. Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement Board

We granted leave in this case to consider two issues. The first is whether health care benefits paid to public school retirees constitute “accrued financial benefits” subject to protection from diminishment or impairment by Const 1963, art 9, § 24. We hold that they do not and, accordingly, affirm the Court of Appeals determination on this issue.1 The second issue is whether the statute establishing the health care benefits, MCL 38.1391(1), created a contract with the public school retirees that could not be changed by a later legislature because to do so would unconstitutionally impair an…