FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2985

                         C 157 L 92

                     Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing certain law enforcement officers and fire fighters pension credit for past service.

By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Basich, Jones, Hargrove, Sheldon, Riley and Paris).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  When the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) was created in 1970, members' employment service under prior retirement systems was transferred to the LEOFF system.  In addition, a five-year window, to March 1975, was created for members to restore contributions they had withdrawn from the prior retirement system so they could receive service credit for that prior service.  A similar window was created for members who had been employed as police officers or fire fighters under a prior system, but were not yet members of the system when LEOFF was created and therefore never had the opportunity to receive credit for that service.  There has never been an additional open window period to restore contributions in LEOFF.

Summary:  Members of Plan I of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) who cannot receive service credit for service under a pre-LEOFF retirement system because they withdrew their contributions under the pre-LEOFF system, have until June 30, 1993, to restore the contributions, with interest, and receive service credit under LEOFF I.

Members of LEOFF I whose pre-LEOFF service is not creditable because at the time of the service, the members were employed as law enforcement officers or fire fighters but were not yet members of the pre-LEOFF system, have until June 30, 1993, to pay the employer and employee contributions, with interest, for the prior service in order to receive service credit under LEOFF I.

Any member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) who: (a) has at least 10 years of previous service in the City of Seattle Police Relief and Pension Fund System, (b) withdrew his or her contributions to the system prior to July 1, 1961, and (c) was never a member of the LEOFF system, is eligible for service credit under PERS for the previous service.

Such a member must declare intent by September 30, 1992, to restore the withdrawn contributions to the Seattle Police Relief and Pension Fund, and do so by December 31, 1992.  The fund will transfer to the Department of Retirement Systems the full amount of the member's contributions, plus an equal amount to be considered employer contributions, plus compound interest, within 90 days of the member's declaration of intent.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98   0

Senate 47   1   (Senate amended)

House  92   0   (House concurred)

Effective:    April 1, 1992    (Sections 3 and 4)

            June 11, 1992    (Sections 1 and 2)