House Bills of Interest:

Volunteer Fire Fighters & Reserve Law Enforcement Officers - HB 1110
This bill increases the value of the pension benefit. The full benefit level for members retiring at age 65 with 30 years of service becomes $300 per month, up from the current $280 per month. Members retiring at age 65 with less than 25 years of service receive $50 per month plus $10 per month for each year of service, up from a current $30 per month plus $10 per month for each year of service. Delivered to Governor for signature, April 14, 2003.

EMTs into LEOFF 2 Retirement System - HB 1202
Allows fire fighter emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to transfer Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) Plan 1 or Plan 2 service credit to LEOFF Plan 2, if while employed for a city, town, county or district, the EMT's job was relocated from another department of a city, town, county, or district to a fire department. The Senate passed SHB 1202.

Pension Policy Select Committee (Better known as the "Governance Bill") - SHB 1204 Replaces the current Joint Committee on Pension Policy with a 20-member Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy composed of elected officials, stakeholder representatives, employer representatives and the Directors of DRS and OFM. The Senate passed SHB 1204 as amended.

Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers into LEOFF - HB 1205
This bill allows fish and wildlife enforcement officers from PERS 2 or PERS 3 into LEOFF 2 prospectively. Prior service would remain in PERS. PERS 1 members would remain in PERS. The Senate passed HB 1205.

Plan 3 Member Contribution Rates - HB 1206
This bill allows members of PERS Plan 3, SERS Plan 3, and TRS Plan 3 an annual window in which they could change their member contribution rate. The first rate change window would be in January 2004. The Senate passed HB 1206.

Implementing Initiative 790 - SHB 2197
Initiative 790, which created a Board of Trustees for the governance of LEOFF Plan 2, required the Department of Retirement Systems and the Office of the State Actuary to jointly prepare implementing legislation. This bill makes necessary statutory corrections to facilitate implementation of the Initiative. The Senate passed SHB 2197.

Amending Initiative 790 - SHB 2198
SHB 2198 repeals section 6(5) of Initiative 790 which provided that investment gains above the actuarially assumed rate of return would be used exclusively to fund new benefits. The Senate passed SHB 2198.

Senate Bills of Interest:

Disability Board membership - SB 5090
This bill clarifies that LEOFF Plan 2 members may serve on LEOFF Plan 1 disability boards provided that they are elected by those LEOFF 1 members and retirees who are subject to the jurisdiction of the board. The Governor signed SB 5090.

Fallen Heroes' Survivor Benefit - SB 5100
Pension payments to qualifying beneficiaries of public safety officers who die in the line of duty would not be subject to federal income tax, as provided in federal law. The Governor signed SB 5100.