Please note that only a summary of each bill is provided.
Board Endorsed Bills
- Remarriage Prohibition for Survivors (HB 1194/5246)
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Surviving spouses of LEOFF Plan 2 and WSPRS members who are killed in the line of duty are entitled to receive a monthly benefit of at least 60% of member’s wages from the state workers’ compensation program. This benefit is terminated if the survivor remarries.
This legislation allows the surviving spouse of a LEOFF Plan 2 member killed in the course of employment to remarry and continue receiving workers’ compensation survivor benefits.
Status: Passed unanimously by the Senate April 13.
No action currently being taken on this companion bill.
- PEBB Technical Corrections (SB 5466)
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Clarifies employee eligibility for benefits and conforms the eligibility provisions with federal law.
Status: Passed by the House April 14.
Other Bills of Interest
- 2015 Supplemental Budget (HB 1105/SB 5076)
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Status: Signed by the Governor on February 19.
SB 5076
No action currently being taken on this companion bill. - <2015-17 Operating Budget (HB 1106/SB 5077)
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HB 1106
Fully funds the LEOFF Plan 2 contribution rate set by the Board. Does not fund payments due to the LEOFF Benefit Improvement Account for 2013 or 2015.
The proposed budget bill contains provisions that do the following:SB 5077
No action currently being taken on this companion bill.Status: Referred to Senate Ways and Means April 6.
- Expanding the WA State Deferred Compensation Program (SB 5435)
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Requires all counties, municipalities and other subdivisions of the state that participate in the state retirement systems to offer Washington’s Deferred Compensation Program (DCP) to all eligible employees effective January 1, 2017.
Status: Placed in Senate Rules “X” file March 23.
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Increasing Retirement Age (SB 5982)
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This bill increases the retirement age for new hires, amending 41.26.430 to increase the normal retirement age to 55. Early retirement is amended to age 50 with 20 years of service. This bill also affects the disability provisions in 41.26.470, stating that the non-duty disability allowance will be actuarially reduced from the age at disability to age 55 for new hires.
Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, March 24.
- Authorizing Benefit Funding Accounts for LEOFF 2 Members (SB 6071)
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This bill would require LEOFF 2 employers to set up tax appropriate flexible spending accounts (FSA) or voluntary employee benefit (VEBA) accounts that allow employees to contribute and accrue savings for retiree medical premiums.
Status: Placed on first read by Ways and Means Committee on February 25.
- Garnishing Pensions to Pay for Public Employee Felony Incarcerations (SB 6076)
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This bill amends 41.26.053, adding: “an order to garnish up to fifty percent of the gross monthly benefit for costs of incarceration, probation, parole, or restitution imposed on such member, former member, or retiree as a result of a conviction of or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to the commission of a felony for misconduct associated with such person’s service as a public employee for which credit in the plan was earned or accrued, for felonies committed on or after July 1, 2015.”
Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, March 24.
- Forfeiture of Pension for Public Employees Convicted of a Felony While in Service (SB 6077)
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This bill states that if a member of a state retirement system is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to an offense that is a class 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 felony that was committed in the course of, or was related to, the member’s employment, as a public official or public employee, the court shall order the person’s membership terminated, and the person shall forfeit all rights and benefits earned under the state retirement system or plan.
Status: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, March 24.