BILL REQ. #:  H-0934.1 



_____________________________________________ 

HOUSE BILL 1599
_____________________________________________
State of Washington61st Legislature2009 Regular Session

By Representatives Sullivan, Appleton, Hunt, Sells, Simpson, Conway, Williams, White, and Ormsby

Read first time 01/26/09.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.



     AN ACT Relating to providing retirement benefits at earlier ages in the plans 2 and 3 of the public employees' retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, and the school employees' retirement system; amending RCW 41.40.630, 41.40.820, 41.32.765, 41.32.875, 41.35.420, and 41.35.680; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.40.630 and 2007 c 491 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed at least five service credit years and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after July 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.40.037(2)(d) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.40.690(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 9, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 2   RCW 41.40.820 and 2007 c 491 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five and who has:
     (a) Completed ten service credit years; or
     (b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
     (c) Completed five service credit years by the transfer payment date specified in RCW 41.40.795, under the public employees' retirement system plan 2 and who transferred to plan 3 under RCW 41.40.795;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed the number of service credit years required in subsection (1) of this section and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after July 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.40.037(2)(d) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.40.850(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 10, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 3   RCW 41.32.765 and 2007 c 491 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years of service who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed at least five service credit years and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty service credit years of service who has attained at least age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.32.802(2) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.32.800(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 2, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 4   RCW 41.32.875 and 2007 c 491 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five and who has:
     (a) Completed ten service credit years; or
     (b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
     (c) Completed five service credit years by July 1, 1996, under plan 2 and who transferred to plan 3 under RCW 41.32.817;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed the number of service credit years required in subsection (1) of this section and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.32.862(2) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.32.860(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 4, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 5   RCW 41.35.420 and 2007 c 491 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed at least five service credit years and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.35.060(2) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.35.230(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 6, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

Sec. 6   RCW 41.35.680 and 2007 c 491 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five and who has:
     (a) Completed ten service credit years; or
     (b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
     (c) Completed five service credit years by September 1, 2000, under the public employees' retirement system plan 2 and who transferred to plan 3 under RCW 41.35.510;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620.
     (2) UNREDUCED RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age fifty-five and has completed the number of service credit years required in subsection (1) of this section and for whom the sum of the number of years of the member's age and the number of years of the member's service credit equals eighty-five or more shall be eligible to retire and receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620.
     (3) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (((3))) (4) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
     (a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
     (b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:

Retirement
Age		Percent
Reduction
5520%
5617%
5714%
5811%
598%
605%
612%
620%
630%
640%

     Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.35.060(2) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.35.230(1).
     The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 8, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   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.

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