BILL REQ. #:  Z-0444.1 

Read first time 01/23/09.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to lowering the general salary increase assumption from 4.5 percent to 4.25 percent for the actuarial funding of the public employees' retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system, the school employees' retirement system, the public safety employees' retirement system, and the Washington state patrol retirement system; amending RCW 41.45.035; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.45.035 and 2004 c 93 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning July 1, 2001, the following long-term economic assumptions shall be used by the state actuary for the purposes of RCW 41.45.030:
     (a) The growth in inflation assumption shall be 3.5 percent;
     (b) The growth in salaries assumption, exclusive of merit or longevity increases, shall be 4.5 percent;
     (c) The investment rate of return assumption shall be 8 percent; and
     (d) The growth in system membership assumption shall be 1.25 percent for the public employees' retirement system, the school employees' retirement system, and the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system. The assumption shall be .90 percent for the teachers' retirement system.
     (2) Beginning July 1, 2009, the following long-term economic assumption for growth in salaries, exclusive of merit or longevity increases, shall be used by the state actuary for the purposes of RCW 41.45.030: 4.25 percent for the public employees' retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system, the school employees' retirement system, the public safety employees' retirement system, and the Washington state patrol retirement system.
     (3)(a) Beginning with actuarial studies done after July 1, 2003, changes to plan asset values that vary from the long-term investment rate of return assumption shall be recognized in the actuarial value of assets over a period that varies up to eight years depending on the magnitude of the deviation of each year's investment rate of return relative to the long-term rate of return assumption. Beginning with actuarial studies performed after July 1, 2004, the actuarial value of assets shall not be greater than one hundred thirty percent of the market value of assets as of the valuation date or less than seventy percent of the market value of assets as of the valuation date. Beginning April 1, 2004, the council, by affirmative vote of four councilmembers, may adopt changes to this asset value smoothing technique. Any changes adopted by the council shall be subject to revision by the legislature.
     (b) The state actuary shall periodically review the appropriateness of the asset smoothing method in this section and recommend changes to the legislature as necessary.

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 takes effect July 1, 2009.