FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1105

                         C 123 L 97

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing retirement credit for leave for legislative service.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by  Representatives Ogden, Sehlin, H. Sommers, Lambert, Carlson, Wolfe, Anderson and Scott; by request of Joint Committee on Pension Policy).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  Members of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), and the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) may earn credit while serving as legislators.  Legislators who are members of the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) or participants in the nonprofit retirement system for higher education faculty, do not have this option.

Summary:  A member of the Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) serving in the Legislature on or after January 1, 1995, may elect to continue to earn service credit during the legislative session.  The Legislature will pay the employer contributions to the WSPRS based on the compensation the member would have earned had the member not served in the Legislature.

A member of the higher education faculty retirement system serving in the Legislature on or after January 1, 1997, may choose to continue participation in that retirement program during the legislative session.  The employing institution of higher education will pay the employee's salary attributable to legislative service and corresponding employer contributions.  The Legislature must reimburse the institution for both the salary and the employer contributions.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  92 0

Senate 46 0

Effective:July 27, 1997