The 2024 Legislative Session will commence on Monday, January 8 and is expected to conclude on Thursday, March 7. Information regarding Legislation having an impact on LEOFF Plan 2 is posted as it becomes available.
For general legislative information, bills not listed on this site, please visit the Washington State Legislature.
Board Endorsed Bills
- Concerning LEOFF Plan 2 (HB 2338 | SSB 6197)
-
A Board endorsed bill addressing the following LEOFF 2 issues:
- Statute of Limitations for Applying for the Special Death Benefit – Helps ensure that beneficiaries of LEOFF 2 members who die in the line of duty receive the LEOFF 2 benefits they are entitled to, by clarifying that in determining whether a death was duty related or not the Department of Labor and Industries should not apply their statute of limitations to benefits paid from the LEOFF 2 trust fund.
- Definition of Firefighter – Clarifies the definition of Fire Fighter for purposes of membership in LEOFF 2 to include full-time, fully-compensated positions within a fire department that necessitate experience as a firefighter to perform the essential functions of those positions. This bill ensures that fire fighters who accept promotional positions within a fire department, such as fire fighter trainers, some management positions, and fire marshals, remain in LEOFF 2 instead of being moved into the Public Employees’ Retirement System.
- Pension Overpayment Responsibility – Shifts responsibility of paying back overpayments due to employer error from LEOFF 2 retirees to the employer. Also changes the number of years that the overpayment can be charged to the employer from three years to one year.
- Disability Pension Benefits – Requires DRS to review non-duty disability retirements with a disabling condition of PTSD that was not eligible for duty disability at time of retirement but has since become eligible for duty disability. If the retiree’s disabling condition was incurred in the line of duty DRS must convert their retirement to duty disability.
- Amendment to SSB 6197 exempts the Deputy Director and research and policy analysts employed by the Board from civil service, and provides the Board with the authority to establish salaries for these positions in consultation with the Office of Financial Management. The Board must consider comparable public sector positions, and provide notice of changes in compensation to the chairs of the fiscal committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Status HB 2338
Jan 12 - First reading, referred to Appropriations. (View Original Bill)Status SSB 6197
Mar 8 - Delivered to Governor. (View Bill as Passed Legislature) - Paying Month of Death Benefits (HB 2013)
-
In the month a retiree passes away, the benefit payment is prorated based on the number of days the person was alive in the month. If the retiree had already received their pension, the Department of Retirement Systems must collect the partial overpayment from the retiree’s beneficiary or estate. This bill provides a retiree’s beneficiary or estate a full month’s benefit for the month a retiree or survivor passes away.
Status HB 2013
Jan 25 - Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Appropriations at 4:00 PM (Subject to change). (Committee Materials) - Employees of the LEOFF 2 Retirement Board (HB 2337 | SB 6198)
-
Gives the LEOFF 2 Board salary setting authority over the LEOFF 2 Board staff. Requires periodic review by the board and notice to the director of the office of financial management and the chairs of the house of representatives and senate fiscal committees of changes.
Status HB 2337
Jan 12 - First reading, referred to Appropriations. (View Original Bill)Status SB 6198
Feb 15 - First reading, referred to Appropriations.
Bills Impacting LEOFF 2
- Concerning Flexible Work Policies for Law Enforcement Officers and Participation in LEOFF Plan 2 (HB 2024 | ESSB 5424)
-
This bill allows for part-time general authority law enforcement officers and part-time limited authority law enforcement officers. Current law requires general authority and limited authority officers to be full-time. This bill also allows part-time general authority officers to participate in LEOFF Plan 2. Currently, LEOFF Plan 2 requires law enforcement officers and fire fighters to be full-time.
Status HB 2024
First reading, referred to House committee on Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry.Status ESSB 5424
Mar 8 - Delivered to Governor. (View Bill as Passed Legislature) - 2024 Supplemental Budget (ESSB 5950)
-
This bill fully funds LEOFF Plan 2 contribution rates.
Status ESSB 5950
Mar 8 - Delivered to Governor. (View Bill as Passed Legislature) - Expanding Interruptive Military Service Credit (SB 6000)
-
This bill expands who qualifies for no-cost interruptive military service credit from those who have received a campaign or expeditionary badge or medal to include those who have received a service badge or medal. This bill would apply retroactively.
Status SB 6000
Jan 15 - Public hearing in held in the Senate Ways & Means Committee - Establishing Law Enforcement Officer Retirement Medical Trust Plans (SB 6022)
-
This bill requires cities and counties to establish a retirement medical trust plan for postemployment medical expenses for law enforcement officers. Requires cities and counties to make minimum contributions to the trust plan of $75 for each officer the cash value of the officers’ unused sick leave at the time they separate from service and any state funds distributed to the employer for this purpose. This bill also, appropriates $50 million from the state general fund to the to the LEOFF Plan 2 retirement board for the distributions for cities and counties for deposit to health reimbursement accounts for law enforcement officers. The Board must develop criteria that considers recruitment and retention in developing policies for the distribution of these funds.
Status HB 6022
Jan 8 - First Reading, referred to Ways & Means