BILL REQ. #:  H-1794.1 

Read first time 02/12/09.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to including service credit transferred from the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 1 in the determination of eligibility for military service credit; and amending RCW 41.26.195.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 41.26.195 and 2007 c 492 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any member of the teachers' retirement system plans 1, 2, or 3, the public employees' retirement system plans 1, 2, or 3, the public safety employees' retirement system plan 2, the school employees' retirement system plans 2 or 3, or the Washington state patrol retirement system plans 1 or 2 who has previously established service credit in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 1 may make an irrevocable election to have such service transferred to their current retirement system and plan subject to the following conditions:
     (1) If the individual is employed by an employer in an eligible position, as of July 1, 1997, the election to transfer service must be filed in writing with the department no later than July 1, 1998. If the individual is not employed by an employer in an eligible position, as of July 1, 1997, the election to transfer service must be filed in writing with the department no later than one year from the date they are employed by an employer in an eligible position.
     (2) An individual transferring service under this section forfeits the rights to all benefits as a member of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 1 and will be permanently excluded from membership.
     (3) Any individual choosing to transfer service under this section will have transferred to their current retirement system and plan: (a) All the individual's accumulated contributions; (b) an amount sufficient to ensure that the employer contribution rate in the individual's current system and plan will not increase due to the transfer; and (c) all applicable months of service, as defined in RCW 41.26.030(14)(a).
     (4) If an individual has withdrawn contributions from the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 1, the individual may restore the contributions, together with interest as determined by the director, and recover the service represented by the contributions for the sole purpose of transferring service under this section. The contributions must be restored before the transfer can occur and the restoration must be completed within the time limitations specified in subsection (1) of this section.
     (5) ((Any service transferred under this section does not apply to the eligibility requirements)) Service transferred under this section is applicable for meeting the total service required for military service credit as defined in RCW 41.40.170(3) or 43.43.260(3). This subsection applies to members who retired on or after January 1, 1998.
     (6) If an individual does not meet the time limitations of subsection (1) of this section, the individual may elect to restore any withdrawn contributions and transfer service under this section by paying the amount required under subsection (3)(b) of this section less any employee contributions transferred.