Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire & a. v. State of New Hampshire & a.

The State appeals the Superior Court’s {McNamara, J.) ruling that legislative changes increasing the contribution rates paid by members of the New Hampshire Retirement System violate the Contract Clauses of the New Hampshire and United States Constitutions. The plaintiffs and the intervenors cross-appeal the court’s ruling that members’ rights to retirement benefits do not vest until they accrue ten years of creditable service. For reasons set forth below, we reverse the court’s Contract Clause ruling and remand. Accordingly, we need not address the issue raised in the cross-appeal.

The…