Topeka ? Kansas lawmakers are again considering where to place the state’s pension obligations to more than 2,000 state corrections employees.

The corrections employees’ pensions could be kept in a distinct group within the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System or moved to a division of the system serving police officers and firefighters, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

An interim committee will consider the issue in December after the 2013 Legislature studied it but did not make a decision on whether to move the pensions from KPERS’ correctional fund to the Kansas Police and Firemen’s section.

Employees who would be affected are divided on the question.

“I am totally in favor of switching from KPERS to KP&F,” said Gerald Sheridan, a counselor at Hutchinson Correctional Facility. “The impact to our paychecks is very manageable. The long-term benefits far outweigh any short-term loss of pay.”

He said the KP&F requires members to contribute 7.15 percent of their salaries but the KPERS’ corrections fund requires only a 6 percent contribution.

Winfield correctional officer Chris Shell disagrees.

“I believe we should get a raise to meet this deduction from our pay,” Shell said. “I know it’s not that much to those that get to make the decisions as to what will occur, as I’m sure they aren’t having to do without. But to a lot of us, that could be the price of a gallon of milk we have to do without.”

The Legislature last year considered transferring correctional officers, supervisors and institutional workers in food service, maintenance, the power plant and prison industries from their own unit into the KP&F division. Correctional employees have been in a distinct group since 1976.

Members of KPERS’ correctional fund have the same benefit as other members but corrections employees can retire at a younger age — 55 or 60 — with 10 years of service. The police and firemen’s division has different requirements from KPERS’ in retirement eligibility, vesting, benefit formula and disability benefits.

Rebecca Proctor, executive director of the Kansas Organization of State Employees, said moving staff to KP&F would require higher contributions by the employee and employer. She said the corrections department and its employees aren’t situated to absorb the increase.

“KOSE, as an organization, is in principle supportive of increases to employee pay and benefits,” she said. “However, KOSE believes that basic issues of pay and safety must be addressed simultaneously.”