BILL REQ. #: S-1755.3
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/25/13. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to creating a defined contribution retirement plan for public employees; amending RCW 41.04.440, 41.04.445, 41.04.450, 41.50.030, and 43.33A.190; reenacting and amending RCW 41.50.110; adding a new section to chapter 41.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.35 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.37 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.40 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 41 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 101 This act may be known and cited as the
public employee defined contribution retirement plan act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 102 The legislature recognizes the need for
public employees, public safety employees, teachers, and school
employees, to have a secure and viable retirement benefit, not only for
their own financial protection, but also so that public funds are spent
prudently for their intended purpose. The legislature also recognizes
that when defined benefit plans were first adopted for public employees
there was a common expectation of lifetime employment with the public
employer, but it is now much more common for persons to change
employers many times in a working career. The legislature furthermore
recognizes: (1) Public employers and taxpayers need consistent and
predictable employee retirement benefits funding obligations; and (2)
defined benefit retirement plans provide less flexible benefit and
retirement options for employees and unpredictable funding obligations
for employers.
Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to provide a defined
contribution retirement plan for new public employees, teachers, school
employees, and current employees under age forty-five, to give
employees greater flexibility regarding their retirement age and
benefit payout, and greater integrity in the funding of those benefits.
The new defined contribution retirement plan will provide significant
new advantages to current members of the state defined benefit plans,
as required by the Bakenhus line of decisions dealing with public
employee pension benefits.
It is also the intent of the legislature that the new plan use
best practices of defined contribution plans to provide opportunity and
flexibility to accrue a viable retirement benefit, while providing
stable funding requirements for public employers and taxpayers. These
best practices include minimizing the investment risk borne by the
participants, whether through lack of investment knowledge or lack of
access to the full variety of investment classes, and providing a
distribution option that would ensure participants do not outlive their
savings.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 201 This chapter applies only to members of
the Washington public employees' savings plan created under this
chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 202 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Accumulated contributions" means the sum of all contributions
standing to the credit of a member in the member's individual account,
together with the earnings thereon.
(2)(a) "Compensation earnable" means salaries or wages earned by a
member during a payroll period for personal services, including
overtime payments, and shall include wages and salaries deferred under
provisions established pursuant to sections 403(b), 414(h), and 457 of
the internal revenue code, but excludes nonmoney maintenance
compensation and lump sum or other payments for deferred annual sick
leave, unused accumulated vacation leave, unused accumulated annual
leave, or any form of severance pay.
(b) "Compensation earnable" also includes the following actual or
imputed payments, which are not paid for personal services:
(i) Retroactive payments to an individual by an employer on
reinstatement of the employee in a position, or payments by an employer
to an individual in lieu of reinstatement in a position which are
awarded or granted as the equivalent of the salary or wage which the
individual would have earned during a payroll period is considered
compensation earnable to the extent provided in this subsection (2),
and the individual shall receive the equivalent service credit;
(ii) Assault pay only as authorized by RCW 27.04.100, 72.01.045,
and 72.09.240;
(iii) Compensation that a member would have received but for a
disability occurring in the line of duty only as authorized by RCW
41.40.038;
(iv) Compensation that a member receives due to participation in
the leave sharing program only as authorized by RCW 41.04.650 through
41.04.670; and
(v) Compensation that a member receives for being in standby
status. For the purposes of this section, a member is in standby
status when not being paid for time actually worked and the employer
requires the member to be prepared to report immediately for work, if
the need arises, although the need may not arise.
(3) "Department" means the department of retirement systems created
in chapter 41.50 RCW.
(4) "Director" means the director of the department.
(5) "Eligible position" means:
(a) Any position that, as defined by the employer, normally
requires five or more months of service a year for which regular
compensation for at least seventy hours is earned by the occupant
thereof. For purposes of this chapter, an employer may not define
"position" in such a manner that an employee's monthly work for that
employer is divided into more than one position; and
(b) Any position occupied by an elected official or person
appointed directly by the governor, or appointed by the chief justice
of the supreme court under RCW 2.04.240(2) or 2.06.150(2), for which
compensation is paid.
(6) "Employee" or "employed" means a person who is providing
services for compensation to an employer, unless the person is free
from the employer's direction and control over the performance of work.
The department shall adopt rules and interpret this subsection
consistent with common law.
(7)(a) "Employer" means every branch, department, agency,
commission, board, and office of the state, and any political
subdivision and municipal corporation of the state admitted into the
retirement system, including public agencies created pursuant to RCW
35.63.070, 36.70.060, and 39.34.030.
(b) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter,
"employer" does not include a government contractor. For purposes of
this subsection, a "government contractor" is any entity, including a
partnership, limited liability company, for-profit or nonprofit
corporation, or person, that provides services pursuant to a contract
with an employer. The determination whether an employer-employee
relationship has been established is not based on the relationship
between a government contractor and an employer, but is based solely on
the relationship between a government contractor's employee and an
employer under this chapter.
(8) "Ineligible position" means any position that does not conform
with the requirements set forth in subsection (7) of this section.
(9) "Leave of absence" means the period of time a member is
authorized by the employer to be absent from service without being
separated from membership.
(10) "Member" means any employee included in the membership of the
retirement system, as provided for in section 204 of this act.
(11) "Member account" or "member's account" means the sum of the
contributions and earnings on behalf of the member.
(12) "Regular interest" means the rate the director determines.
(13) "Retirement system" means the Washington public employees'
savings plan created in this chapter.
(14) "Separation from service" occurs when a person has terminated
all employment with an employer. Separation from service or employment
does not occur, and if claimed by an employer or employee may be a
violation of RCW 41.40.055, when an employee and employer have a
written or oral agreement to resume employment with the same employer
following termination. Mere expressions or inquiries about
postretirement employment by an employer or employee that do not
constitute a commitment to reemploy the employee after retirement are
not an agreement under this subsection.
(15)(a) "Service" means periods of employment by a member in an
eligible position or positions for one or more employers for which
compensation earnable is paid. Time spent in standby status, whether
compensated or not, is not service.
(b) Service in any state elective position is service.
(16) "State actuary" or "actuary" means the person appointed
pursuant to RCW 44.44.010(2).
(17) "State elective position" means any position held by any
person elected or appointed to statewide office or elected or appointed
as a member of the legislature.
(18) "State treasurer" means the treasurer of the state of
Washington.
(19) "Transferable plan" means the plans 2 and plans 3 of the
retirement systems established under chapters 41.32, 41.34, 41.35,
41.37, and 41.40 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 203 A public employees' savings plan is hereby
created for the employees of the state of Washington and its political
subdivisions. The administration and management of the savings plan,
the responsibility for making effective the provisions of this chapter,
and the authority to make all rules and regulations necessary therefor
are hereby vested in the department. All such rules and regulations
shall be governed by the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW. The
retirement system created in this chapter shall be known as the
Washington public employees' savings plan.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 204 Membership in the retirement system
consists of:
(1) All regularly compensated employees and appointive and elective
officials who first become employed by an employer on or after July 1,
2014, except for persons excluded from membership under section 205 of
this act.
(2) All regularly compensated employees and appointive and elective
officials employed by an employer who first established service in a
transferable plan prior to July 1, 2014, and who are under age forty-five as of July 1, 2014.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 205 The following persons are excluded from
membership in the retirement system:
(1) Persons in ineligible positions;
(2) Employees of the legislature except the officers thereof
elected by the members of the senate and the house of representatives
and legislative committees, unless membership of the employees is
authorized by the committee;
(3) Persons holding elective offices or persons appointed directly
by the governor. However, these persons have the option of applying
for membership during periods of employment. Persons holding or who
have held elective offices or persons appointed by the governor who are
members in the retirement system and who have, prior to becoming
members, previously held an elective office, and did not at the start
of their initial or successive terms of office exercise their option to
become members, may apply for membership to be effective during their
term or terms of office;
(4) Employees holding membership in, or receiving pension benefits
under, any retirement plan operated wholly or in part by an agency of
the state or political subdivision thereof, or who are by reason of
their current employment contributing to or otherwise establishing the
right to receive benefits from such a retirement plan, except as
follows:
(a) An employee is allowed membership if otherwise eligible while
receiving survivor's benefits;
(b) An employee may not be excluded from membership pursuant to
this subsection solely on account of: (i) Membership in the plan
created under chapter 2.14 RCW; or (ii) enrollment under the relief and
compensation provisions or the pension provisions of the volunteer
firefighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension fund under
chapter 41.24 RCW;
(c) Except as provided in RCW 41.40.109, an employee may not be
excluded from membership pursuant to this subsection solely on account
of participation in a defined contribution pension plan qualified under
section 401 of the internal revenue code;
(5) Patient and inmate help in state charitable, penal, and
correctional institutions;
(6) Members of a state veterans' home or state soldiers' home;
(7) Persons employed by an institution of higher education or
community college, primarily as an incident to and in furtherance of
their education or training, or the education or training of a spouse;
(8) Employees of an institution of higher education or community
college during the period of service necessary to establish eligibility
for membership in the retirement plans operated by that institution;
(9) Persons rendering professional services to an employer on a
fee, retainer, or contract basis or when the income from these services
is less than fifty percent of the gross income received from the
person's practice of a profession;
(10) Employees of a labor guild, association, or organization;
(11) Persons employed by or appointed or elected as an official of
a first-class city that has its own retirement system, but any member
elected or appointed to an elective office has the option of continuing
as a member of the retirement system under this chapter in lieu of
becoming a member of the city system. A member who elects to continue
as a member of the retirement system under this chapter shall pay the
appropriate member contributions and the city shall pay the employer
contributions at the rates prescribed by this chapter. Any city that
becomes an employer as defined in RCW 41.40.010 as the result of an
individual's election under this subsection is not required to have all
employees covered for retirement under this chapter. Nothing in this
subsection prohibits a city of the first class with its own retirement
system from allowing newly hired employees the option of continuing
coverage under the retirement system established by this chapter;
(12) Employees who (a) are not citizens of the United States, (b)
do not reside in the United States, and (c) perform duties outside of
the United States;
(13) Employees who (a) are not citizens of the United States, (b)
are not covered by chapter 41.48 RCW, (c) are not excluded from
membership under this chapter or chapter 41.04 RCW, (d) are residents
of this state, and (e) make an irrevocable election to be excluded from
membership, in writing, which is submitted to the director within
thirty days after employment in an eligible position;
(14) Employees who are citizens of the United States and who reside
and perform duties for an employer outside of the United States;
(15) The city manager or chief administrative officer of a city or
town, other than a retiree, who serves at the pleasure of an appointing
authority. These persons have the option of applying for membership
within thirty days from the date of appointment to their positions;
(16) Persons serving as: (a) The chief administrative officer of
a public utility district as defined in RCW 54.16.100; (b) the chief
administrative officer of a port district formed under chapter 53.04
RCW; or (c) the chief administrative officer of a county who serves at
the pleasure of an appointing authority. These persons have the option
of applying for membership within thirty days from the date of
appointment to their positions;
(17) Persons enrolled in state-approved apprenticeship programs,
authorized under chapter 49.04 RCW, and who are employed by local
governments to earn hours to complete the apprenticeship programs, if
the employee is a member of a union-sponsored retirement plan and is
making contributions to such a retirement plan or if the employee is a
member of a Taft-Hartley retirement plan;
(18) Persons employed exclusively as trainers or trainees in
resident apprentice training programs operated by housing authorities
authorized under chapter 35.82 RCW, if (a) the trainer or trainee is a
member of a union-sponsored retirement plan and is making contributions
to such a retirement plan, or (b) the trainer or trainee is a member of
a Taft-Hartley retirement plan;
(19) Persons who have previously established membership in, or
retired from, another public employees' retirement system described in
RCW 41.50.030, except for members transferring into the system under
section 206 of this act; and
(20) Persons who are eligible for membership in the law enforcement
officers' and firefighters' retirement system established under chapter
41.26 RCW or the Washington state patrol retirement system established
under chapter 43.43 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 206 (1) On July 1, 2014, every member of a
transferable plan under the age of forty-five who is employed by an
employer in an eligible position shall be transferred to the public
employees' savings plan.
(2) Service in each transferable plan for which a transferring
member has established service credit will be transferred to the public
employees' savings plan on July 1, 2014. This service applies to the
eligibility for vesting in employer matching contributions as provided
in section 207 of this act.
(3) Retirement benefits in each transferable plan for which a
transferring member has established service credit will be transferred
to the public employees' savings plan and credited to member accounts
in the public employees' savings plan as follows:
(a) Plan 2 members' accumulated contributions from each
transferable plan 2 will be transferred on July 1, 2014, including all
accrued interest as of the transfer date;
(b) Plan 3 members' member accounts from each transferable plan 3
will be transferred on July 1, 2014;
(c) An additional transfer payment from each transferable plan will
be credited to qualified members' accounts in the public employees'
savings plan on July 1, 2016. The transfer payment represents the
employer provided portion of the member's accrued retirement benefit
and is equal to the actuarial equivalent value of the member's accrued
retirement benefit on June 30, 2014, as determined by the director in
consultation with the state actuary, less any amounts transferred under
(a) of this subsection. In no event may the additional transfer
payment result in a decrease in the value of a member's account;
(d) For purposes of determining the actuarial equivalent value of
the accrued benefit transferred under (c) of this subsection, the
department shall include both expected future salary increases and
expected future service credit for benefit eligibility purposes.
However, only service credit earned as of June 30, 2015, shall be used
to determine the portion of the present value of future benefits that
the transferring member has accrued at the date of the transfer;
(e) The additional transfer payment provided under (c) of this
subsection must be increased with regular interest, as determined by
the director, for the period of time between the transfer date and the
date of the additional transfer payment;
(f) To qualify for the transfer payment provided under (c) of this
subsection, a transferring member must remain employed by an employer
in an eligible position through July 1, 2016;
(g) Members are fully vested in each amount transferred under (a),
(b), (c), and (e) of this subsection when the amount is credited to the
member's account in the public employees' savings plan.
(4) Members transferring to the public employees' savings plan
forfeit all service and benefits from all transferable plans and may
not reestablish membership in any transferable plan.
(5) The department shall notify potentially eligible members of
their option to transfer to the public employees' savings plan and
shall provide estimates of the amounts potentially available for
transfer to their member accounts.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 207 (1) A member shall contribute five percent
of his or her compensation earnable until age thirty-five, and seven
and one-half percent thereafter.
(2) The employer of a member shall contribute an amount equal to
eighty percent of the contributions made by a member.
(3) Members with less than five years of service are not vested in
employer contributions to member accounts and the earnings on those
contributions. Once members have attained five years of service, they
become fully vested in the employer contributions and the earnings on
those contributions. Members do not have any right to receive employer
contributions or the earnings on those contributions in which they are
not vested.
(4) Contributions shall begin the first day of the pay cycle in
which the employee becomes a member.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 208 In addition to contributions made to
members' accounts, employers shall make contributions to the unfunded
actuarial accrued liability in plan 1 of the teachers' retirement
system and plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system as
follows:
(1) School districts and educational service districts shall
contribute to plan 1 of the teachers' retirement system the amounts
specified in RCW 41.45.060(8) (b) and (c) on earnable compensation paid
to teachers as defined in RCW 41.32.010.
(2) School districts and educational service districts shall
contribute to plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system the
amounts specified in RCW 41.45.060(6) (b) and (c) on earnable
compensation paid to classified employees as defined in RCW 41.35.010.
(3) Employers other than school districts and educational service
districts shall contribute to plan 1 of the public employees'
retirement system the amounts specified in RCW 41.45.060(6) (b) and
(c).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 209 (1) Members may self-direct their
investments as set forth in section 211 of this act and RCW 43.33A.190.
If a member does not select investments, the member's account shall be
invested in the default investment option of the retirement strategy
fund that is closest to the retirement target date of the member.
"Retirement strategy fund" means one of several diversified asset
allocation portfolios managed by investment advisors under contract to
the state investment board. The asset mix of the portfolios adjusts
over time depending on a target retirement date.
(2) The department shall adopt rules that will allow members the
option to roll over moneys from other tax qualified accounts into their
public employees' savings plan member account. This option is subject
to internal revenue service requirements for favorable tax
qualification. The department is not required to allow all roll-overs
that may be permitted under internal revenue service regulations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 210 (1) The state investment board has the
full authority to invest all self-directed investment moneys in
accordance with RCW 43.84.150 and 43.33A.140, and cumulative investment
directions received pursuant to section 209 of this act and this
section. In carrying out this authority the state investment board,
after consultation with the department, shall provide a set of options
for members to choose from for self-directed investment.
(2) All investment and operating costs of the state investment
board associated with making self-directed investments shall be paid by
members and recovered under procedures agreed to by the department and
the state investment board pursuant to the principles set forth in RCW
43.33A.160 and 43.84.160. All other expenses caused by self-directed
investment shall be paid by the member in accordance with rules
established by the department. With the exception of these expenses,
all earnings from self-directed investments shall accrue to the
member's account.
(3)(a)(i) The department shall keep or cause to be kept full and
adequate accounts and records of each individual member's account. The
department shall account for and report on the investment of defined
contribution assets or may enter into an agreement with the state
investment board for such accounting and reporting under this chapter.
(ii) The department's duties related to individual participant
accounts include conducting the activities of trade instruction,
settlement activities, and direction of cash movement and related wire
transfers with the custodian bank and outside investment firms.
(iii) The department has sole responsibility for contracting with
any recordkeepers for individual participant accounts and shall manage
the performance of recordkeepers under those contracts.
(b)(i) The department's duties under (a)(ii) of this subsection do
not limit the authority of the state investment board to conduct its
responsibilities for asset management and balancing of the deferred
compensation funds.
(ii) The state investment board has sole responsibility for
contracting with outside investment firms to provide investment
management for the deferred compensation funds and shall manage the
performance of investment managers under those contracts.
(c) The state treasurer shall designate and define the terms of
engagement for the custodial banks.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 211 (1) If the member terminates employment,
the balance in the member's account may be distributed in accordance
with an option selected by the member either as a lump sum or pursuant
to other options authorized by the department.
(2) If the member dies while in service, the balance of the
member's account may be distributed in accordance with an option
selected by the member either as a lump sum or pursuant to other
options authorized by the department. The distribution is as follows:
(a) The distribution shall be made to the person or persons the
member nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with
the department;
(b) If there is no designated person or persons still living at the
time of the member's death, the balance of the member's account in the
retirement system shall be paid to the member's surviving spouse as if
in fact the spouse had been nominated by written designation;
(c) If there is no surviving spouse, then to the person or persons,
trust, or organization as the member has nominated by written
designation duly executed and filed with the department; or
(d) If there is no designated person or persons still living at the
time of the member's death, then to the member's legal representatives.
(3) If a member has a terminal illness and terminates from
employment, the member may choose to have the balance in the member's
account distributed as a lump sum payment based on the most recent
valuation in order to expedite the distribution. The department shall
make this payment within ten working days after receipt of notice of
termination of employment, documentation verifying the terminal
illness, and an application for payment.
(4) The distribution under subsections (1) through (3) of this
section is less:
(a) Any amount identified as owing to an obligee upon withdrawal
pursuant to a court order filed under RCW 41.50.670; and
(b) Any employer contributions and the earnings on those
contributions in which the member is not vested as provided for in
section 207 of this act.
(5) Upon any distribution from a member account under this section,
any employer contributions and the earnings on those contributions in
which the member is not vested as provided for in section 207 of this
act are forfeited by the member. Amounts forfeited under this
subsection will be credited, under rules developed by the department,
to the employer who made the contributions.
(6) The department shall adopt rules providing members and
survivors an option to purchase, using funds in the member's account,
an annuity from a state-administered fund. The offering of this option
is subject to favorable tax determination by the internal revenue
service.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 212 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of
this section, the right of a person to an annuity or any other right
accrued or accruing to any person under the provisions of this chapter,
the various funds created by this chapter, and all moneys and
investments and income thereof, are hereby exempt from any state,
county, municipal, or other local tax, and is not subject to execution,
garnishment, attachment, the operation of bankruptcy or insolvency
laws, or other process of law whatsoever, whether the same be in actual
possession of the person or be deposited or loaned and shall be
unassignable.
(2)(a) This section does not prohibit a beneficiary of an annuity
from authorizing deductions therefrom for payment of premiums due on
any group insurance policy or plan issued for the benefit of a group
comprised of public employees of the state of Washington or its
political subdivisions and which has been approved for deduction in
accordance with rules that may be adopted by the state health care
authority and/or the department. This section does not prohibit a
beneficiary of an annuity from authorizing deductions therefrom for
payment of dues and other membership fees to any retirement association
or organization the membership of which is composed of retired public
employees, if a total of three hundred or more of such retired
employees have authorized such deduction for payment to the same
retirement association or organization.
(b) This section does not prohibit a beneficiary of an annuity from
authorizing deductions from that allowance for charitable purposes on
the same terms as employees and public officers under RCW 41.04.035 and
41.04.036.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not prohibit the department
from complying with (a) a wage assignment order for child support
issued pursuant to chapter 26.18 RCW, (b) an order to withhold and
deliver issued pursuant to chapter 74.20A RCW, (c) a notice of payroll
deduction issued pursuant to RCW 26.23.060, (d) a mandatory benefits
assignment order issued by the department, (e) a court order directing
the department of retirement systems to pay benefits directly to an
obligee under a dissolution order as defined in RCW 41.50.500(3) which
fully complies with RCW 41.50.670 and 41.50.700, or (f) any
administrative or court order expressly authorized by federal law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 213 (1) The retirement plan created by this
chapter must be administered so as to comply with the internal revenue
code, Title 26 U.S.C., and specifically with plan qualification
requirements imposed on governmental plans by section 401(a) of the
internal revenue code.
(2) Any section or provision of this chapter which is susceptible
to more than one construction must be interpreted in favor of the
construction most likely to satisfy requirements imposed by section
401(a) of the internal revenue code.
(3) If any section or provision of this chapter is found to be in
conflict with the plan qualification requirements for governmental
plans in section 401(a) of the internal revenue code, the conflicting
part of this chapter is hereby inoperative solely to the extent of the
conflict, and such finding does not affect the operation of the
remainder of this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 214 (1) A state board, commission, or agency,
or any officer, employee, or member thereof, is not liable for any loss
or deficiency resulting from member investments selected or required
pursuant to section 210 (1) or (3) of this act.
(2) Neither the department, nor director or any employee, nor the
state investment board, nor any officer, employee, or member thereof,
is liable for any loss or deficiency resulting from reasonable efforts
to implement investment directions pursuant to section 210 (1) or (3)
of this act.
(3) The state investment board, or any officer, employee, or member
thereof, is not liable with respect to any declared monthly unit
valuations or crediting of rates of return, or any other exercise of
powers or duties, including discretion, under section 210(2) of this
act.
(4) The department, or any officer or employee thereof, is not
liable for crediting rates of return which are consistent with the
state investment board's declaration of monthly unit valuations
pursuant to section 210(2) of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 215 For the purposes of this chapter, the
terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of
kin, and family apply equally to state registered domestic partnerships
or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to
marital relationships and married persons, and references to
dissolution of marriage apply equally to state registered domestic
partnerships that have been terminated, dissolved, or invalidated, to
the extent that such interpretation does not conflict with federal law.
When necessary to implement chapter 521, Laws of 2009, gender-specific
terms such as husband and wife used in any statute, rule, or other law
are gender neutral, and applicable to individuals in state registered
domestic partnerships.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 216 Sections 201 through 215 of this act
constitute a new chapter in Title
Sec. 301 RCW 41.04.440 and 2007 c 492 s 3 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The sole purpose of RCW 41.04.445 and 41.04.450 is to allow the
members of the retirement systems created in chapters 2.10, 2.12,
41.26, 41.32, 41.35, 41.37, 41.40, 41.34, 41.--- (the new chapter
created in section 216 of this act), and 43.43 RCW to enjoy the tax
deferral benefits allowed under 26 U.S.C. 414(h). Chapter 227, Laws of
1984 does not alter in any manner the provisions of RCW 41.45.060,
41.45.061, and 41.45.067 which require that the member contribution
rates shall be set so as to provide fifty percent of the cost of the
respective retirement plans.
(2) Should the legislature revoke any benefit allowed under 26
U.S.C. 414(h), no affected employee shall be entitled thereafter to
receive such benefit as a matter of contractual right.
Sec. 302 RCW 41.04.445 and 2007 c 492 s 4 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) This section applies to all members who are:
(a) Judges under the retirement system established under chapter
2.10, 2.12, or 2.14 RCW;
(b) Employees of the state under the retirement system established
by chapter 41.32, 41.37, 41.40, 41.--- (the new chapter created in
section 216 of this act), or 43.43 RCW;
(c) Employees of school districts under the retirement system
established by chapter 41.32 ((or)), 41.40, or 41.--- (the new chapter
created in section 216 of this act) RCW, except for substitute teachers
as defined by RCW 41.32.010;
(d) Employees of educational service districts under the retirement
system established by chapter 41.32 ((or)), 41.40, or 41.--- (the new
chapter created in section 216 of this act) RCW; or
(e) Employees of community college districts under the retirement
system established by chapter 41.32 ((or)), 41.40, or 41.--- (the new
chapter created in section 216 of this act) RCW.
(2) Only for compensation earned after the effective date of the
implementation of this section and as provided by section 414(h) of the
federal internal revenue code, the employer of all the members
specified in subsection (1) of this section shall pick up only those
member contributions as required under:
(a) RCW 2.10.090(1);
(b) RCW 2.12.060;
(c) RCW 2.14.090;
(d) RCW 41.32.263;
(e) RCW 41.32.350;
(f) RCW 41.40.330 (1) and (3);
(g) RCW 41.45.061 and 41.45.067;
(h) RCW 41.34.070; and
(i) ((RCW 43.43.300; and)) RCW 41.34.040.
(j)
(3) Only for the purposes of federal income taxation, the gross
income of the member shall be reduced by the amount of the contribution
to the respective retirement system picked up by the employer.
(4) All member contributions to the respective retirement system
picked up by the employer as provided by this section, plus the accrued
interest earned thereon, shall be paid to the member upon the
withdrawal of funds or lump sum payment of accumulated contributions as
provided under the provisions of the retirement systems.
(5) At least forty-five days prior to implementing this section,
the employer shall provide:
(a) A complete explanation of the effects of this section to all
members; and
(b) Notification of such implementation to the director of the
department of retirement systems.
Sec. 303 RCW 41.04.450 and 2007 c 492 s 5 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Employers of those members under chapters 41.26, 41.34, 41.35,
41.37, 41.--- (the new chapter created in section 216 of this act), and
41.40 RCW who are not specified in RCW 41.04.445 may choose to
implement the employer pick up of all member contributions without
exception under RCW 41.26.080(1)(a), 41.26.450, 41.40.330(1),
41.45.060, 41.45.061, and 41.45.067 and chapters 41.34, and 41.--- (the
new chapter created in section 216 of this act) RCW. If the employer
does so choose, the employer and members shall be subject to the
conditions and limitations of RCW 41.04.445 (3), (4), and (5) and
41.04.455.
(2) An employer exercising the option under this section may later
choose to withdraw from and/or reestablish the employer pick up of
member contributions only once in a calendar year following forty-five
days prior notice to the director of the department of retirement
systems.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 304 A new section is added to chapter 41.32
RCW under the subchapter heading "plan 3" to read as follows:
All teachers who first become employed by an employer in an
eligible position on or after July 1, 2014, must become a member of the
public employees' savings plan established under chapter 41.--- RCW
(the new chapter created in section 216 of this act).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 305 A new section is added to chapter 41.35
RCW under the subchapter heading "plan 3" to read as follows:
All classified employees who first become employed by an employer
in an eligible position on or after July 1, 2014, must become a member
of the public employees' savings plan established under chapter 41.---
RCW (the new chapter created in section 216 of this act).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 306 A new section is added to chapter 41.37
RCW to read as follows:
All public safety employees who first become employed by an
employer in an eligible position on or after July 1, 2014, must become
a member of the public employees' savings plan established under
chapter 41.--- RCW (the new chapter created in section 216 of this
act).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 307 A new section is added to chapter 41.40
RCW under the subchapter heading "plan 3" to read as follows:
All employees who first become employed by an employer in an
eligible position on or after July 1, 2014, must become a member of the
public employees' savings plan established under chapter 41.--- RCW
(the new chapter created in section 216 of this act).
Sec. 308 RCW 41.50.030 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 47 s 20 are each
amended to read as follows:
(1) As soon as possible but not more than one hundred and eighty
days after March 19, 1976, there is transferred to the department of
retirement systems, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all
powers, duties, and functions of:
(a) The Washington public employees' retirement system;
(b) The Washington state teachers' retirement system;
(c) The Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters'
retirement system;
(d) The Washington state patrol retirement system;
(e) The Washington judicial retirement system; and
(f) The state treasurer with respect to the administration of the
judges' retirement fund imposed pursuant to chapter 2.12 RCW.
(2) On July 1, 1996, there is transferred to the department all
powers, duties, and functions of the deferred compensation committee.
(3) The department shall administer chapter 41.34 RCW.
(4) The department shall administer the Washington school
employees' retirement system created under chapter 41.35 RCW.
(5) The department shall administer the Washington public safety
employees' retirement system created under chapter 41.37 RCW.
(6) The department shall administer the collection of employer
contributions and initial prefunding of the higher education retirement
plan supplemental benefits, also referred to as the annuity or
retirement income plans created under chapter 28B.10 RCW.
(7) The department shall administer the Washington public
employees' savings plan created in chapter 41.--- RCW (the new chapter
created in section 216 of this act).
Sec. 309 RCW 41.50.110 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 50 s 936 and 2011 1st
sp.s. c 47 s 22 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided by RCW 41.50.255 and subsection (6) of this
section, all expenses of the administration of the department, the
expenses of administration of the retirement systems, and the expenses
of the administration of the office of the state actuary created in
chapters 2.10, 2.12, 28B.10, 41.26, 41.32, 41.40, 41.34, 41.35, 41.37,
41.--- (the new chapter created in section 216 of this act), 43.43, and
44.44 RCW shall be paid from the department of retirement systems
expense fund.
(2) In order to reimburse the department of retirement systems
expense fund on an equitable basis the department shall ascertain and
report to each employer, as defined in RCW 28B.10.400, 41.26.030,
41.32.010, 41.35.010, 41.37.010, section 202 of this act, or 41.40.010,
the sum necessary to defray its proportional share of the entire
expense of the administration of the retirement system that the
employer participates in during the ensuing biennium or fiscal year
whichever may be required. Such sum is to be computed in an amount
directly proportional to the estimated entire expense of the
administration as the ratio of monthly salaries of the employer's
members bears to the total salaries of all members in the entire
system. It shall then be the duty of all such employers to include in
their budgets or otherwise provide the amounts so required.
(3) The department shall compute and bill each employer, as defined
in RCW 28B.10.400, 41.26.030, 41.32.010, 41.35.010, 41.37.010, section
202 of this act, or 41.40.010, at the end of each month for the amount
due for that month to the department of retirement systems expense fund
and the same shall be paid as are its other obligations. Such
computation as to each employer shall be made on a percentage rate of
salary established by the department. However, the department may at
its discretion establish a system of billing based upon calendar year
quarters in which event the said billing shall be at the end of each
such quarter.
(4) The director may adjust the expense fund contribution rate for
each system at any time when necessary to reflect unanticipated costs
or savings in administering the department.
(5) An employer who fails to submit timely and accurate reports to
the department may be assessed an additional fee related to the
increased costs incurred by the department in processing the deficient
reports. Fees paid under this subsection shall be deposited in the
retirement system expense fund.
(a) Every six months the department shall determine the amount of
an employer's fee by reviewing the timeliness and accuracy of the
reports submitted by the employer in the preceding six months. If
those reports were not both timely and accurate the department may
prospectively assess an additional fee under this subsection.
(b) An additional fee assessed by the department under this
subsection shall not exceed fifty percent of the standard fee.
(c) The department shall adopt rules implementing this section.
(6) Expenses other than those under RCW 41.34.060(((3))) (4) shall
be paid pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.
(7) During the 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 fiscal biennia, the
legislature may transfer from the department of retirement systems'
expense fund to the state general fund such amounts as reflect the
excess fund balance of the fund.
Sec. 310 RCW 43.33A.190 and 2000 c 247 s 701 are each amended to
read as follows:
Pursuant to RCW 41.34.130 and section 210 of this act, the state
investment board shall invest all self-directed investment moneys under
the public employees' savings plan, the teachers' retirement system
plan 3, the school employees' retirement system plan 3, and the public
employees' retirement system plan 3 with full power to establish
investment policy, develop investment options, and manage self-directed
investment funds.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 401 This act takes effect July 1, 2014.