WSR 15-15-145

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed July 20, 2015, 1:13 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' (LEOFF) Plan 2 duty disability, to clarify how the department administers duty disability benefits, including clarification of the requisite causal connection between the member's employment and disability.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 41.50.050.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: This rule-making activity will codify the department's existing practice of granting a LEOFF Plan 2 duty disability benefit. The rule will clarify that the work actions and activities defined in WAC 415-104-480(2) must be the proximate cause of the member's disability (but need not be the sole cause of the member's disability). The rule may be further amended to clarify the department's interpretation of the statutes, and ensure conformance with existing practices.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jilene Siegel, Rules Coordinator, Department of Retirement Systems, P.O. Box 48380, Olympia, WA 98504-8380, e-mail Rules@drs.wa.gov, phone (360) 664-7291.

July 20, 2015

Jilene A. Siegel

Rules Coordinator