PROPOSED RULES
RETIREMENT SYSTEMS
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 03-17-010.
Title of Rule: WAC 415-02-200 Can I transfer former LEOFF Plan 1 service?
Purpose: The legislature passed HB 1099 in 1997, codified in chapter 122, Laws of 1997, and RCW 41.26.195. The Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) is proposing the adoption of a new WAC to explain its longstanding policy and practice in implementing this statute.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 41.50.050(5).
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 41.26.195.
Summary: The WAC explains that if you are a member of PERS, TRS, SERS, or WSPRS, and you have previously established service credit in LEOFF Plan 1, you may irrevocably choose to transfer your LEOFF Plan 1 service to your current retirement system and plan subject to the conditions explained in the WAC.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Put longstanding policy into WAC.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Merry A. Kogut, P.O. Box 48380, Olympia, WA 98504-8380, (360) 664-7291; Implementation and Enforcement: Dave Nelsen, P.O. Box 48380, Olympia, WA 98504-8380, (360) 664-7304.
Name of Proponent: Department of Retirement Systems, governmental.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: Please see Summary above.
Proposal does not change existing rules.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. These amendments have no effect on businesses.
RCW 34.05.328 does not apply to this rule adoption. The Department of Retirement Systems is not one of the named departments in RCW 34.05.328.
Hearing Location: Department of Retirement Systems, 6835 Capitol Boulevard, Conference Room 115, Tumwater, WA, on January 27, 2004, at 9:00 a.m.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact the rules coordinator by seven days before the hearing, if possible, phone (360) 664-7291, TTY (360) 586-5450, e-mail merryk@drs.wa.gov.
Submit Written Comments to: Identify WAC Numbers, Merry A. Kogut, Rules Coordinator, Department of Retirement Systems, P.O. Box 48380, Olympia, WA 98504-8380, e-mail Merryk@drs.wa.gov, fax (360) 753-3166 by 5:00 p.m. on January 27, 2004.
Date of Intended Adoption: No sooner than January 28, 2004.
November 24, 2003
Merry A. Kogut
Rules Coordinator
OTS-6821.1
GENERAL RULES AFFECTING MULTIPLE PLANS AND SYSTEMS
NEW SECTION
WAC 415-02-200
Can I transfer former LEOFF Plan 1
service?
If you are a member of PERS, TRS, SERS, or WSPRS,
and you have previously established service credit in LEOFF
Plan 1, you may irrevocably choose to transfer your LEOFF Plan
1 service to your current retirement system and plan subject
to the following conditions:
(1) The choice to transfer service must be filed in writing with the department no later than one year from the date you become employed by a PERS, TRS, SERS, or WSPRS employer in an eligible position.
(2) If you transfer your service credit under this section:
(a) You will forfeit (lose) all rights to benefits as a LEOFF Plan 1 member and will be permanently excluded from membership.
(b) Your transferred service will not apply to the eligibility requirements for military service credit as defined in RCW 41.40.170(3) for PERS Plan 1 or in RCW 43.43.260(3) for WSPRS Plan 1.
(3) When you transfer your service credit under this section to your current retirement system and plan, DRS will transfer:
(a) All of your accumulated LEOFF Plan 1 contributions;
(b) An amount sufficient to ensure that the employer contribution rate in your current system and plan will not increase because of the transfer; and
(c) All applicable months of LEOFF Plan 1 service credit, as defined in RCW 41.26.030 (14)(a).
(4) If you previously withdrew contributions from LEOFF Plan 1, you:
(a) May restore the contributions, together with interest as determined by the director, and recover the service represented by the contributions for the sole purpose of transferring service under this section;
(b) Must restore the contributions before the transfer can occur; and
(c) Must complete the restoration within the time limitations specified in subsection (1) of this section.
(5) If you do not meet the time limitations of subsection (1) of this section, you may restore any withdrawn contributions and transfer service under this section by paying the amount required under subsection (3)(b) of this section less any employee contributions transferred.
(6) Terms used:
LEOFF - Law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system.
PERS - Public employees' retirement system.
SERS - School employees' retirement system.
TRS - Teachers' retirement system.
WSPRS - Washington state patrol retirement system.
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