General

2009 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 1212 --
Industrial Insurance Death Benefits LEOFF/WSPRS

Surviving spouses of Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 2 members and members of the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS), who are killed in the line of duty, are entitled to receive a monthly benefit of at least 60% of the member's wages. This benefit is paid for the lifetime of the survivor, or until remarriage. This bill allows surviving spouses of the LEOFF Plan 2 and the WSPRS members, who are eligible for death benefits under the Industrial Insurance Act, to continue to receive the benefit monthly for life regardless of whether they remarry. This applies to remarriages entered into on or after the effective date of the Act.
HB 1443 SB 5333
WSPRS Drop Plan

This bill allows Washington State Patrol (WSP) officers and sergeants, who are members of the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS), to elect participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) beginning January 1, 2010. In order to be eligible for the DROP, members must have at least 25 years of service credit in WSPRS.

While in the DROP the members continue to work and make WSPRS contributions. They do not earn additional service credit and their WSPRS Average Final Salary (AFS) does not increase. By entering the DROP the members agree to delay receiving their monthly retirement benefit until they terminate employment with the WSP. Upon termination of employment the members begin receiving their monthly retirement benefit that was set at the time they entered the DROP and they receive their accumulated benefit payments from the date they entered the DROP plus contributions and interest accumulated while in the DROP.
HB 1444 SB 5332
WSPRS Board

This bill creates an 11-member policy board to study pension issues and pension benefits, develop pension proposals, and make recommendations to the Governor for proposed legislation that would impact the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS).
HB 1445* SB 5439*
Domestic Partners in WSPRS

This bill adds the ability for domestic partners to receive benefits in all situations where currently only spouses can receive benefits in the Washington State Patrol Retirement Systems (WSPRS).
HB 1506* SB 5311*
FRP (Pre-LEOFF) Survivor Benefits

This bill affects pension benefits for survivors of firefighters, who retired under the Firefighters' Relief and Pensions (FRP) Act. It removes language that 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 the creation of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF), is not administered by the Department of Retirement Systems.
HB 1541 SB 5302
SERS Past Part-Time Service Credit

This bill grants a half-time service credit to qualifying members in Plans 2 and 3 of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS), who worked for an educational employer in school years prior to January 1, 1987.

To qualify for service credit under this proposal a member must have:

  • Earned service credit between the effective date of this bill and before September 1, 2010;
  • Earned at least 630 hours during the school year in question;
  • Worked at least nine months of the school year in question;
  • Earned less than six months of service credit during the school year in question; and
  • Service credit for the school year in question has not been withdrawn.
HB 1542* SB 5305*
DRS Technical Corrections

This bill repeals two obsolete sections in Plan 1 of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS). These statutes deal with the division of funds, which are no longer necessary.
HB 1543 SB 5304
Lower General Salary Increase Assumption

This bill lowers the general salary increase assumption used by the Office of the State Actuary for determining the actuarial funding of all retirement plans from 4.5 percent to 4.25 percent, except Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System.
HB 1544 SB 5310
OSA Actuarial Assumptions

This bill clarifies how the Office of the State Actuary (OSA) studies salary growth and codifies current practices relating to recommendations of the OSA following an actuarial experience study.
HB 1545 SB 5308
Higher Education Retirement Plan

This bill provides eligible employees of the Higher Education Coordinating Board the ability to participate in the Higher Education Retirement Plan instead of the Public Employees' Retirement System.
HB 1546* SB 5303*
PERS to SERS Auto Transfer

This bill ends the automatic transfer of prior Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 service credit to Plan 2 of the School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) when the member becomes employed in an eligible SERS position on or after August 1, 2009.

Beginning September 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009, current and inactive members of SERS Plan 2, who had PERS service credit transferred to SERS Plan 2, may request, in writing, to have that service credit transferred back to PERS Plan 2 if:

  • The individual did not earn service credit with a school district or educational service district before the transfer;
  • And the individual has not transferred to SERS Plan 3 or PERS Plan 3.
HB 1547 SB 5312
Increase Death Benefit to $175K

This bill increases the current duty-related death benefit for public employees from $150,000 to $175,000. This increase applies to members of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), School Employees' Retirement System (SERS), Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS), Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), and the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS).
HB 1548* SB 5313*
Interruptive Military Service

This bill provides a total of five years of no-cost interruptive military service for members, who provide proof to the Director of DRS, that their interruptive military service was during a "period of war," and that they initiated the process for re-employment with the same employer no later than 90 days from the date of their 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. Members, who paid for interruptive military service credit, can receive a refund of the contributions paid.
HB 1549 SB 5306
Disability Benefits

This bill directs the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, with the assistance and support of the Office of the State Actuary, to study disability benefit options for members of Plans 2 and 3 of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS). The findings and recommendations of the study must be reported to the Select Committee on Pension Policy no later than November 1, 2009.
HB 1550* SB 5315*
Survivors of PERS 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 credit, the option of either a monthly survivor benefit or the lump sum of contributions plus interest upon the member's death.
HB 1551* SB 5314*
Military Death Benefits

This bill extends eligibility for an un-reduced survivor benefit to members, who leave the employ of an employer and die during a period of war, while honorably serving in the National Guard or military reserves. This bill applies to the following retirement systems: 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).
HB 1599 --
Rule of 85

Provides unreduced retirement benefits to any vested Plan 2 and Plan 3 member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) for whom the sum of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals 85 or more.
HB 1600 --
5-Year Vesting in Plan 3

This bill modifies age and service credit requirements for receiving an unreduced retirement benefit to require at least five years of service credit at age 65 for Plan 3 members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS).
HB 1601 SB 5489
Separated Employee Access to PEBB

This bill provides access to health insurance benefits for Plan 2 members, who have separated from service, but have not started receiving a retirement benefit and 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).
HB 1602 SB 5490
Addressing Post Retirement Employment Restrictions

Plan 2 and Plan 3 members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) and School Employees' Retirement System (SERS) with 30 years of service, at least age 55 and who retire under the new early retirement reduction factors available on July 1, 2008 for PERS and September 1, 2008 for TRS and SERS are prohibited from continuing to receive the retirement benefit if they return to any public employment before age 65. This proposal 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.
HB 1616* --
Domestic Partners in LEOFF Plan 2

This bill gives the domestic partners of Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 2 members the same rights and options as spouses for pension benefits.
HB 1678* SB 5542*
Duty Disability Conversion

Members, who retired from Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System as a result of duty related disabilities prior to the creation of duty disability retirements, do not receive favorable tax treatment on their benefits. This bill would reclassify eligible Service and Disability retirements to Occupational Disability retirements for the purpose of allowing affected retirees to take advantage of favorable tax treatment on their pension benefit based on the first 10% of the member's salary.
HB 1679 SB 5541
Castastrophic Disability Medical Insurance

This bill extends the option to purchase health care insurance from the Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB) to members of Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement Systems (LEOFF) Plan 2, who are catastrophically disabled in the line of duty, and their spouses and dependent children. The members and dependents pay the full cost of the insurance.
HB 1722 SB 5307
Change Membership Default in PERS Plans 2 & 3

Currently newly hired members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) have 90 days to select either Plan 2 or Plan 3. If after 90 days they have not selected a plan, the member defaults to Plan 3. This bill changes the default plan for new members of PERS to Plan 2 if the member does not make a selection within 90 days.
HB 1727 SB 5688*
Rights of Domestic Partners
HB 1742 SB 5523
Court Commissioners

This bill allows court commissioners in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to choose to pay additional contributions to accrue a higher retirement benefit multiplier on service earned. Court commissioners employed by the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or the Superior, District or Municipal courts on September 1, 2009 have a window from September 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010 and then again every subsequent January to make this irrevocable choice. Court commissioners hired after September 1, 2009 have a 90-day window and then again every subsequent January to make the same irrevocable choice.

Court commissioners, who choose this option, may also choose to increase prior commissioner service to the higher benefit multiplier by paying the actuarial equivalent value of the increase. Court commissioners in PERS Plan 1 or Plan 2 would increase their retirement benefit multiplier from 2% to 3.5 percent, to a maximum of 75% of their annual final compensation (AFC). PERS Plan 3 members would increase their retirement benefit multiplier from 1% to 1.6% to a maximum of 37.5% of their AFC.
HB 1893 SB 5791
Washington Voluntary Accounts Program
HB 1953* SB 5309*
Fish & Wildlife Officer Service Credit Transfer

This bill allows Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers to transfer service credit earned as an enforcement officer in Plan 2 and Plan 3 of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 2.
HB 2143 --
Retiree Return to Work – 30 Years of Service
HB 2196 --
Military Service Credit Prior LEOFF 1
-- SB 5439
Domestic Partners in WSPRS
-- SB 6045
PERS TRS & SERS DC Plan Proposal

Legislation