Brief Description: Determining membership on the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 board.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Ericks, Hinkle, Conway, Buri, McDonald, Hurst, Haigh and Simpson; by request of LEOFF Plan 2 Retirement Board).

House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

The Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 2 Retirement Board (LEOFF 2 Board) was created in 2003 by the passage of Initiative 790 in 2002. The LEOFF 2 Board is the board of trustees for the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) and has the authority to administer LEOFF 2, as well as choose the economic assumptions and set the contribution rates for LEOFF 2 employees, employers, and the state.

The LEOFF 2 Board is composed of 11 members, including three members representing law enforcement officers, three members representing fire fighters, three members representing employers, one member of the Senate, and one member of the House of Representatives.

The member representatives are appointed by the Governor to six-year terms (initially staggered) from a list provided by a recognized statewide council of law enforcement or fire fighter labor associations. Beginning January 1, 2007, for filling vacancies in the law enforcement officer and fire fighter positions on the LEOFF 2 Board, at least one of each of the three positions must be filled by a retired member of LEOFF 2.

The three employer representatives are appointed by the Governor to four-year terms (not staggered), and all of these initial terms are scheduled to expire in 2007. The Senate member on the LEOFF 2 Board is appointed by the Governor based on the recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate to a four-year term, and the House of Representatives member is appointed by the Governor based on the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to a four-year term.

Summary:

The requirement that one of the law enforcement officers and one of the fire fighter positions on the LEOFF 2 Board be filled by a retired member for appointments made for vacancies after January 1, 2007, is removed. After January 1, 2008, one Board member from any of the categories of Board representatives must be a retired member.

The terms of the initial three employer LEOFF 2 Board members are changed from four years to four, five and six years. Subsequent employer board member appointments are for four years.

The terms of the initial legislative members of the LEOFF 2 Board are changed to five years and six months. Subsequent legislative board member appointments are for two-year terms beginning on January 1 of odd-numbered years.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   94   0
Senate   47   0   (Senate amended)
House   98   0   (House concurred)

Effective: July 22, 2007