HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 2419

                              As Passed House

                             February 15, 1992

Title:  An act relating to the retroactive application of RCW 41.32.555.

Brief Description:  Regarding the retroactive application of RCW 41.32.555.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Spanel, Silver and Hine.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Appropriations, February 9, 1992, DP;

Passed House, February 15, 1992, 90-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 24 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Belcher; Bowman; Brekke; Carlson; Dorn; Ebersole; Hine; Lisk; May; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; D. Sommers; H. Sommers; Valle; Vance; and Wang.

Staff:  Barbara McLain (786-7153).

Background:  Prior to 1991, only persons employed on a full-time basis were eligible to receive a disability allowance under plan I of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) if they became permanently disabled.  In 1991, the Legislature allowed part-time employees to become eligible for disability benefits.  The 1991 law applied retroactively to persons who became disabled in the 1986-87 school year, but such persons would only begin to receive benefits after the effective date of the law which was July 1991.

Persons who retired under TRS I due to disability prior to 1990 did not have the right to elect a benefit which included a survivor option.

Summary of Bill:  Members of the Teachers' Retirement System, plan I, who were under annual half-time contract in the 1986-87 school year and retired due to disability in that year, are made eligible for disability retirement payments retroactive to the month following their retirement due to disability.  If such members have not begun collecting disability benefits, they may select a benefit that includes a survivor option.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.