AN ACT Relating to expanding participation in the Washington state deferred compensation program; and amending RCW 41.50.770 and 41.50.780.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 41.50.770 and 2014 c 172 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) "Employee" as used in this section and RCW 41.50.780 includes all full-time, part-time, and career seasonal employees of the state, a county, a municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, whether or not covered by civil service; elected and appointed officials of the executive branch of the government, including full-time members of boards, commissions, or committees; justices of the supreme court and judges of the court of appeals and of the superior and district courts; and members of the state legislature or of the legislative authority of any county, city, or town.

(2) The state, through the department, and any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state acting through its principal supervising official or governing body is authorized to contract with an employee to defer a portion of that employee's income, which deferred portion shall in no event exceed the amount allowable under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 457, and deposit or invest such deferred portion in a credit union, savings and loan association, bank, or mutual savings bank or purchase life insurance, shares of an investment company, individual securities, or fixed and/or variable annuity contracts from any insurance company or any investment company licensed to contract business in this state.

(3) Beginning no later than January 1, 2017, all counties, municipalities, and other subdivisions of the state that participate in one or more of the state retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030 must offer the state deferred compensation program as an option to all employees eligible to participate in a deferred compensation plan under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 457.

(5) Employees participating in the state deferred compensation plan administered by the department shall self-direct the investment of the deferred portion of their income through the selection of investment options as set forth in subsection (((4))) (6) of this section.

(((4))) (6) The department can provide such plans as it deems are in the interests of state employees. In addition to the types of investments described in this section, the state investment board, with respect to the state deferred compensation plan, shall invest the deferred portion of an employee's income, without limitation as to amount, in accordance with RCW 43.84.150, 43.33A.140, and 41.50.780, and pursuant to investment policy established by the state investment board for the state deferred compensation plans. The state investment board, after consultation with the director regarding any recommendations made pursuant to RCW 41.50.088(2), shall provide a set of options for participants to choose from for investment of the deferred portion of their income. Any income deferred under such a plan shall continue to be included as regular compensation, for the purpose of computing the state or local retirement and pension benefits earned by any employee.

(((5))) (7) Coverage of an employee under a deferred compensation plan under this section shall not render such employee ineligible for simultaneous membership and participation in any pension system for public employees.

Sec. 2.  RCW 41.50.780 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 7 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The deferred compensation principal account is hereby created in the state treasury.

(2) The amount of compensation deferred by employees ((under agreements entered into)) under the authority contained in RCW 41.50.770 shall be paid into the deferred compensation principal account and shall be sufficient to cover costs of administration and staffing in addition to such other amounts as determined by the department. The deferred compensation principal account shall be used to carry out the purposes of RCW 41.50.770. All eligible state employees shall be given the opportunity to participate in agreements entered into by the department under RCW 41.50.770. State agencies shall cooperate with the department in providing employees with the opportunity to participate and shall administer the default enrollment of new full-time employees after January 1, 2017, pursuant to RCW 41.50.770(4).

(3) Any county, municipality, or other subdivision of the state may elect to participate in any agreements entered into by the department under RCW 41.50.770, including the making of payments therefrom to the employees participating in a deferred compensation plan upon their separation from state or other qualifying service. Beginning no later than January 1, 2017, all counties, municipalities, and other subdivisions of the state that participate in one or more of the state retirement systems listed in RCW 41.50.030 must offer the state deferred compensation program as an option to all employees eligible to participate in a deferred compensation plan under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 457. If an employer has an exclusivity agreement in a contract with a provider that specifically limits the employer from offering another 457 plan, and the contractual agreement was in place on March 1, 2015, the employer must offer the state deferred compensation plan upon the expiration of that agreement in the contract. Employers that offer the state deferred compensation program must cooperate with the department in providing employees with the opportunity to participate. Employers that have payroll and human resources systems able to automate a deferred compensation plan may consult with the department about managing the contributions and limits within their own systems to ensure the most efficient administration of the plan. Any proposed modifications to plan procedures are subject to the department's approval. Accordingly, the deferred compensation principal account shall be considered to be a public pension or retirement fund within the meaning of Article XXIX, section 1 of the state Constitution, for the purpose of determining eligible investments and deposits of the moneys therein.

(4) All moneys in the state deferred compensation principal account and the state deferred compensation administrative account, all property and rights purchased therewith, and all income attributable thereto, shall be held in trust by the state investment board, as set forth under RCW 43.33A.030, for the exclusive benefit of the state deferred compensation plan's participants and their beneficiaries. Neither the participant, nor the participant's beneficiary or beneficiaries, nor any other designee, has any right to commute, sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise convey the right to receive any payments under the plan. These payments and right thereto are nonassignable and nontransferable. Unpaid accumulated deferrals are not subject to attachment, garnishment, or execution and are not transferable by operation of law in event of bankruptcy or insolvency, except to the extent otherwise required by law.

(5) The state investment board has the full power to invest moneys in the state deferred compensation principal account and the state deferred compensation administrative account in accordance with RCW 43.84.150, 43.33A.140, and 41.50.770, and cumulative investment directions received pursuant to RCW 41.50.770. All investment and operating costs of the state investment board associated with the investment of the deferred compensation plan assets shall be paid pursuant to RCW 43.33A.160 and 43.84.160. With the exception of these expenses, one hundred percent of all earnings from these investments shall accrue directly to the deferred compensation principal account.

(6)(a) No state board or commission, agency, or any officer, employee, or member thereof is liable for any loss or deficiency resulting from participant investments selected pursuant to RCW 41.50.770(((3))) (5).

(b) Neither the department, nor the 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 RCW 41.50.770(((3))) (5).

(7) The deferred compensation administrative account is hereby created in the state treasury. All expenses of the department pertaining to the deferred compensation plan including staffing and administrative expenses shall be paid out of the deferred compensation administrative account. Any excess balances credited to this account over administrative expenses disbursed from this account shall be transferred to the deferred compensation principal account at such time and in such amounts as may be determined by the department with the approval of the office of financial management. Any deficiency in the deferred compensation administrative account caused by an excess of administrative expenses disbursed from this account shall be transferred to this account from the deferred compensation principal account.

(8)(a)(i) The department shall keep or cause to be kept full and adequate accounts and records of the assets of each individual participant, obligations, transactions, and affairs of any deferred compensation plans created under RCW 41.50.770 and this section. The department shall account for and report on the investment of state deferred compensation plan assets or may enter into an agreement with the state investment board for such accounting and reporting.

(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.

(9) The department may adopt rules necessary to carry out its responsibilities under RCW 41.50.770 and this section.

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