FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5837

                          C 286 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing the chief administrative officer of a public utility district, port district, or county to join the retirement system.

Sponsors:  Senators Bauer, Long, Winsley, Jacobsen, Fraser, Roach, Rossi, Rasmussen and Oke.

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Appropriations

Background:  Most full-time public employees employed by an employer under the Public Employees= Retirement System (PERS) are required to be members of PERS.  Exemptions from membership are provided in a limited number of cases.  Optional membership is allowed for elected officials, gubernatorial appointments, and city managers.

Summary:  Membership in PERS is made optional for the chief administrative officers of public utility districts, the chief administrative officers of a port district, and the chief administrative officers of counties.  Such employees have the option of applying for membership in PERS within 30 days of appointment to such positions.  Employees who opt for membership after the 30 days may become members by paying the actuarial value of the service from the date of their appointment to the date of acceptance of membership.

Employees serving in such positions as of the effective date of this act have until December 31, 1999, to notify the director of the Department of Retirement Systems of their desire to withdraw from membership in PERS.  A member who withdraws from membership receives a refund of the member=s accumulated contributions upon termination of employment.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 46 0

House     93 0 (House amended)

Senate    46 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1999