BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to volunteer fire fighters' relief and pension principal and administrative funds; amending RCW 41.24.030; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 41.24.030 and 1992 c 97 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is created in the state treasury a trust fund for the benefit of the fire fighters of the state covered by this chapter, which shall be designated the volunteer fire fighters' relief and pension principal fund and shall consist of:

(a) All bequests, fees, gifts, emoluments, or donations given or paid to the fund.

(b) An annual fee for each member of its fire department to be paid by each municipal corporation for the purpose of affording the members of its fire department with protection from death or disability as provided in this chapter as follows:

(i) Ten dollars for each volunteer or part-paid member of its fire department;

(ii) A sum equal to one and one-half of one percent of the annual salary attached to the rank of each full-paid member of its fire department, prorated for 1970 on the basis of services prior to March 1, 1970.

(c) Where a municipal corporation has elected to make available to the members of its fire department the retirement provisions as provided in this chapter, an annual fee of sixty dollars for each of its fire fighters electing to enroll therein, thirty dollars of which shall be paid by the municipality and thirty dollars of which ((~~shall~~)) may be paid by the fire fighter.

(d) Forty percent of all moneys received by the state from taxes on fire insurance premiums shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the administrative fund created in subsection (2) of this section.

(e) The state investment board, upon request of the state treasurer shall have full power to invest or reinvest such portion of the amounts credited to the principal fund as is not, in the judgment of the treasurer, required to meet current withdrawals. Such investments shall be made in the manner prescribed by RCW 43.84.150 and not otherwise.

(f) All bonds or other obligations purchased according to (e) of this subsection shall be forthwith placed in the custody of the state treasurer, and he or she shall collect the principal thereof and interest thereon when due.

The state investment board may sell any of the bonds or obligations so acquired and the proceeds thereof shall be paid to the state treasurer.

The interest and proceeds from the sale and redemption of any bonds or other obligations held by the fund and invested by the state investment board shall be credited to and form a part of the principal fund, less the allocation to the state investment board expense account pursuant to RCW 43.33A.160.

All amounts credited to the principal fund shall be available for making the benefit payments required by this chapter.

The state treasurer shall make an annual report showing the condition of the fund.

(2) The volunteer fire fighters' relief and pension administrative fund is hereby created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account, including unanticipated revenues under RCW 43.79.270, may be spent only after appropriation, and may be used only for operating expenses of the volunteer fire fighters' relief and pension principal fund, the operating expenses of the volunteer fire fighters' relief and pension administrative fund, or for transfer from the administrative fund to the principal fund.

(a) The state board shall compute a percentage of the amounts credited to the administrative fund to be paid into the principal fund.

(b) For the purpose of providing amounts to be used to defray the cost of administration of the principal and administrative funds, the state board shall ascertain at the beginning of each biennium and request from the legislature an appropriation from the administrative fund sufficient to cover estimated expenses for the biennium.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.