SENATE RESOLUTION

                                                    1994-8701

By Senators Bauer, Spanel, Vognild, Moore, Newhouse, Nelson, Winsley and Gaspard

         WHEREAS, The Joint Committee on Pension Policy has studied and analyzed issues related to Plan II retirement systems for the past three years; and

         WHEREAS, The Joint Committee on Pension Policy completed its report on Plan II retirement age in October 1992 and has reviewed eligibility criteria for retirement under Plan II; and

         WHEREAS, Legislation was introduced at the request of the Joint Committee on Pension Policy during the 1994 session which created Plan III retirement systems to address some of the underlying concerns of members of Plan II systems; and

         WHEREAS, Legislation to create Plan III retirement systems was not acted upon during the 1994 session; and

         WHEREAS, Plan II members of the Teachers' Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System and the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System have serious concerns with some provisions of these systems, especially issues related to eligibility for retirement benefits, which contribute to poor morale in the workplaces of state and local government and strain relations between the legislature, as employer, and the state's employees;

         NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate directs the Joint Committee on Pension Policy to continue work on revisions to state Plan II retirement systems which recognize the following principles:

         Benefits under a revised retirement plan should provide a fair and proportional level of retirement benefits for all members who provide significant periods of state service;

         Public employees should not incur a major reduction in the value of accrued retirement benefits when they make career changes prior to retirement age; and

         Members who are required to change careers for personal or family needs or due to physical or mental disability should be able to do so without jeopardizing their long term retirement income security; and

         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate intends for the Joint Committee on Pension Policy to work in consultation with an advisory committee comprised of representatives from employee organizations whose members belong to the Washington State Patrol and Plan II retirement system; and

         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Joint Committee on Pension Policy shall report and make recommendations to the Senate Ways & Means Committee and the House Appropriations Committee by December 15, 1995.

I, Marty Brown, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1994-8701,

adopted by the Senate March 10, 1994.

MARTY BROWN

Secretary of the Senate