Topeka ? A Kansas House panel is considering limiting how much government employees would be able to boost their pension benefits by accumulating unused vacation days.

The House Commerce and Economic Development held a hearing Monday on a bill that tweaks benefits rules for government employees hired before 1993. The bill would allow those state and local government employees to accumulate only 240 hours of vacation and sick leave to boost the value of their pension payments.

Republican Rep. Jerry Lunn from Overland Park told the committee the change would improve the health and stability of the pension fund by avoiding excessive payments.

Kansas Organization of State Employees Executive Director Rebecca Proctor said the change would violate existing contracts and possibly provoke early retirements.