2008 Legislative Session
Click on the bill number for more detailed information about the legislation.
* Signed by Governor
| House Bill Number | Senate Bill Number | Title |
|---|---|---|
| HB 2134 | -- | Authorizing port district firefighter membership in LEOFF Plan 2 This bill would amend the definition of a firefighter eligible for membership in Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System to include an individual who:
In addition, the definition would be amended to include supervisory firefighter personnel who work for a port district and are trained in rescue and firefighting, but are not required to receive annual recurring instruction in rescue and firefighting skill. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 2510* | -- | Medicare Only Benefits This bill would allow law enforcement officers, fire fighters and other public employees participating in a qualified retirement system to obtain Medicare coverage through the "divided referendum" process. This process allows those who vote in favor of a referendum to adopt it, while those who vote against it do not. Under this bill, active members of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System who choose to do so would pay for Medicare coverage. Status: HB 2510 was signed by the Governor March 25, 2008 |
| HB 2652* | -- | Transferring the Dependent Care Assistance Program This bill would transfer administration of the Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) from the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) to the Health Care Authority (HCA), effective January 1, 2009. DCAP allows state employees to pay for child and other dependent care services with pre-tax dollars, pursuant to Sections 125 and 129 of the Internal Revenue Code. Status: HB 2652 was signed by the Governor March 28, 2008 |
| HB 2887* | -- | Purchasing increased benefit multiplier for past judicial service for judges Judges who opted into the judges benefit program could purchase prior judicial service at the higher multiplier by paying 5 percent (2.5 percent for Plan 3) of the salary earned for each month of service credit, plus 8 percent interest, compounded monthly. Service must have been purchased before December 31, 2007. After December 31, 2007 the prior judicial service could be purchased at the higher multiplier by paying the actuarial equivalent cost of the increase in the member's benefit. This bill would allow a judge to purchase prior judicial service at the higher benefit multiplier at retirement. The cost would be the lesser of the full actuarial cost or 5 percent (2.5 percent for Plan 3) of the salary earned for each month of service credit, plus 5.5 percent interest, from the date the service was earned. The bill would apply only to judges who are members of the Public Employees' Retirement System. This bill also allows active and inactive PERS members who are not currently serving as a judge, but who have served as a judge or justice in the past, to increase their benefit multiplier for their periods of past judicial service from January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009. The cost to purchase the increase for prior judicial service using this method is the actuarial equivalent of the increase. Status: HB 2887 was signed by the Governor April 1, 2008 |
| -- | SB 6573* | Providing additional revenues for public safety Beginning in 2011, when state general fund revenues increase by at least five percent over the prior biennia's revenue, this bill would require the State Treasurer to transfer, subject to appropriation by the legislature, specific amounts to the Local Public Safety Enhancement Account. The amounts increase from $5 million in 2011 to the lesser of one-third of the general revenue increase amount or $50 million in 2017 and beyond. Half of the money in this account would be proportionately distributed, by the State Treasurer, to all jurisdictions with LEOFF Plan 2 members. Those jurisdictions would be allowed to use these funds for public safety purposes. The other half would be transferred to the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System Benefits Improvement Account to fund benefit enhancements for LEOFF Plan 2 members. Status: ESSB 6573 was signed by the Governor March 20, 2008 |
| HB 2982 | -- | Authorize TRS 1 to join PERS 1 This bill will allow certain Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Plan 1 members who are employed by the Public School Employees of Washington a one-time option to join the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 1 between July 1, 2008 and September 30, 2008. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3005 | SB 6655 | PERS to SERS Auto Transfer Beginning September 1, 2000, any Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 members hired into a position eligible for membership in the School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) have had their PERS service automatically transferred to SERS. This bill ends this automatic transfer for members employed in an eligible SERS position on or after July 1, 2008. From September 1, 2008 through November 30, 2008, members and former members of PERS Plan 2 who had service credit transferred to SERS Plan 2, may request, in writing, to have that service credit transferred back to PERS Plan 2 if:
Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3006 | SB 6652 | Survivors of PERS Plan 1 Inactives Currently the survivor of a Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 1 member who dies after leaving employment and before application is made for a retirement benefit is only eligible for a refund of employee contributions, plus interest. This bill provides the survivor of any PERS Plan 1 member, who qualifies for retirement but has not applied or has at least 10 years of service credits, the option of either a monthly survivor benefit or the lump sum of contributions plus interest upon the member's death. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3007 | SB 6646 | Military Death Benefits This bill extends eligibility for the non-actuarial survivor benefit to members who leave employment and die during a period of war while serving honorably in the National Guard or military reserves. This bill applies to members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), School Employees' Retirement System (SERS), Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF), Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS), and Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS). Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3008 | SB 6645 | Interruptive Military Service Credit This bill provides a total of five years of no-cost retirement system service credit for any member who provides proof to the Director of DRS that their interruptive military service was during a "period of war," and they initiate the process for re-employment with the same employer no later than 90 days from the date of honorable discharge. The bill applies to members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plans 2 and 3, School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) Plans 2 and 3, Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Plans 2 and 3, Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 2, Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) Plan 2, and the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS). Survivors of eligible members, and eligible members incapacitated as a result of their interruptive military service, may also apply for the no cost service credit. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3019* | -- | TRS and SERS 2/3 Half-Year Contracts This bill grants six months of service credit to members of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) Plan 2 and 3 who work for at least five months of a six-month period, from September through August, and earn 630 hours or more within that six-month period. Status: HB 3019 was signed by the Governor March 27, 2008 |
| HB 3020 | SB 6650 | FRP (Pre-LEOFF) Survivor Benefits This bill affects pension benefits for survivors of firefighters who retired under the Firefighters' Relief and Pensions (FRP) Act of 1955. It removes language which currently causes the survivor's benefit to cease if the surviving spouse remarries, thus allowing the benefit to continue for the lifetime of the survivor. The FRP, which existed prior to creation of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System, is not administered by the Department of Retirement Systems. Status: Did not pass |
| -- | SB 6657* | Salary Bonuses in TRS This bill amends the definition of "earnable compensation" in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) to no longer exclude bonuses paid to teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Status: SB 6657 was signed by the Governor March 26, 2008 |
| HB 3022 | SB 6651 | Plan 3 Vesting To qualify for a guaranteed monthly defined benefit a Plan 3 member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) or School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) must currently:
This bill modifies age and service credit requirements to only require at least 5 years of service credit at age 65 in order to qualify for an unreduced retirement benefit. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3023 | SB 6653 | Fish and Wildlife Service Credit Transfer This bill allows Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers to transfer service credit earned in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 as an enforcement officer to Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System. It provides that:
In addition, the legislation provides options should a member die or retire for disability prior to the transfer. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3024* | -- | TRS Out of State Service Credit A Plan 2 or Plan 3 member of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) can currently purchase up to seven years of service credit for public education experience earned outside of TRS. To make the purchase the member must have five service credit years in TRS. This bill reduces the number of service credit years from five to two years in order to be eligible to purchase the out of state service. Status: HB 3024 was signed by the Governor March 20, 2008 |
| HB 3025 | SB 6647 | HECB Proposal This bill allows the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) the ability to offer their employees the purchase of annuity or retirement income plans, instead of participating in the Public Employees' Retirement Plan (PERS). The HECB is prohibited from offering these plans to any retiree who is receiving or accruing a retirement allowance under PERS, the School Employees' Retirement System (SERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF), Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) and the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS). Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3026 | SB 6664 | Indexed $150,000 Death Benefit This bill indexes the $150,000 duty-death benefit payment to changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton (CPI-W). Additionally, the amount of the death benefit is not allowed to decrease below the original amount in periods of deflation. The bill applies to members of the state's retirement systems, the Volunteer Firefighters' Relief and Pension Fund (VFF) and the Higher Education Retirement Plans (HIED); and state, school district and higher education employees who are not members of a state retirement system. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3027 | SB 6648 | Retiree Access to PEBB - 55/20 This bill provides access to health insurance benefits for Plan 2 members who have separated from service, are at least age 55, and have at least 20 years of service in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) and/or the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3028 | SB 6649 | Retiree Access to PEBB - 2nd Chance This bill allows school district retirees or disabled members from the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), School Employees' Retirement System (SERS), and Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), and their dependents, the ability to enroll for health care benefits from the Health Care Authority. The benefits will be made available to those members who were in receipt of a retirement allowance as of January 1, 2001. Coverage will be effective with the plan year beginning January 1, 2011. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3049 | SB 6635 | Deferred Compensation as Salary This bill changes the definition of basic salary for employer contributions to a deferred compensation plan, as defined under section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, for members of Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' (LEOFF) Retirement System. The change will allow employer contributions to a 457 plan on behalf of a member to be included in the member's retirement benefit calculation. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3070 | SB 6687 | Addressing Post Retirement Employment Engrossed House Bill 2391, which passed during the 2007 legislative session, allows early retirement with less of a reduction in benefits for Plan 2 and Plan 3 members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) who have 30 years of service and are at least age 55. Members who retire under the new reduction factors (available on July 1, 2008 for PERS and September 1, 2008 for TRS) are prohibited from continuing to receive the retirement benefit if they return to post-retirement public employment before age 65. This bill would remove this restriction, allowing a retiree to return to work and continue to receive his or her monthly benefit under the current retiree rehire provisions. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3182 | -- | Partial Service Month Purchases Members of the School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) who were employed in eligible positions prior to January 1, 1987 were required to make employee contributions even if they did not work enough hours to earn service credit. This proposal would give those SERS members who were employed by a school district prior to January 1, 1987 service credit for months where contributions had been paid but no service was earned. The credit would be based on the rules in effect September 1, 1991. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3211 | SB 6455 | Controlling the Washington State Patrol Retirement System This bill would establish a nine member board to manage the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) funds for the benefit of WSPRS members and beneficiaries. The board would have the authority to adopt actuarial tables, assumptions and cost methodologies, in consultation with the State Actuary. The board would also establish contribution rates and recommend to the legislature changes in the statutes governing benefits or the administration of WSPRS. The board would hire an executive director with the authority to hire staff, as authorized by the board. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3257 | -- | Plan 2/3 Choice in PERS/TRS/SERS This bill would allow a member who has changed employers, or separated from an employer for a minimum of 45 days before resuming employment, a new 90 day period to choose membership in Plan 2 or Plan 3. The choice would be irrevocable for the duration of the employment. A member who has not chosen to change plans by the end of the 90 days would remain a member of the plan in which they had most recently established membership. The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this additional choice if it is determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be necessary to maintain favorable tax treatment. Status: Did not pass |
| HB 3258 | -- | Annual Distribution to Retired Terminated/Vested Plan 3 This bill would provide an additional contribution, equal to $10 multiplied by the member's service credit as of August 31 of the previous year, to the accounts of qualifying Plan 3 members. The following members would be eligible:
The additional amount would be deposited into the member's account on January 1, 2009 and on January 1st of each year thereafter. The $10 multiplier would be increased by three percent, rounded to nearest cent, per year. The legislature intends the additional contributions to be replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of gain-sharing, the right to receive these additional contribution amounts would be non-contractual, with the legislature reserving the right to amend or repeal the new distribution. Status: Did not pass |
| -- | SB 6571 | Judicial Service Credit This bill would allow a current or separated member of Plan 1 of the Teachers' Retirement System or the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who is not employed as a judge or justice to make an irrevocable decision to increase the multiplier on past judicial service by paying the actuarially equivalent value of that purchase. Payment must occur between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009. Status: Did not pass |