HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1990

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to minimum retirement benefits.

Brief Description:  Providing minimum retirement benefits.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Robertson, Chappell and Delvin).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  2/1/96, 2/5/96 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/9/96, 98-0.

Senate Amended.

House Concurred.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 31 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Pelesky, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Valle, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Beeksma; Brumsickle; Carlson; Chappell; Cooke; Crouse; Dellwo; Dyer; Foreman; Grant; Hargrove; Hickel; Jacobsen; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; McMorris; Poulsen; Reams; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Silver; Talcott and Wolfe.

Staff:  Elissa Benson (786-7191).

Background:  For the State Patrol Retirement System, the minimum monthly retirement benefit is $13 per year of service for members and surviving spouses receiving social security.  The minimum monthly retirement benefit for surviving spouses not receiving social security is $23 per year of service.

Summary of Bill:  A minimum monthly retirement benefit of $500 is established for retired members with 25 years of service.  

The minimum monthly benefit for surviving spouses of members that had 25 years of service cannot be less than $500.

The Joint Committee on Pension Policy is to study the level of benefits provided to surviving spouses of Washington State troopers.  The study findings are to be reported to the fiscal committees of the Legislature by January 1997.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  There are several retired Washington State Patrol (WSP) members who receive less than $500 per month even though they worked for over 20 years for the WSP.  The bill provides a minimum benefit for these people.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified: Representative Eric Robertson,  prime sponsor.