AN ACT Relating to permitting members of the public employees' retirement system employed in positions included in the public safety employees' retirement system to elect to become members of the public safety employees' retirement system for future periods of service; adding a new section to chapter 41.37 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.37 RCW to read as follows:

(1) An employee who is a member of the public employees' retirement system plan 2 or plan 3, and is employed by an employer as defined in RCW 41.37.010, and is an employee in a job class included in RCW 41.37.010(19), and who has previously had the option to remain in the public employees' retirement system or transfer to the public safety employees' retirement system, has the following options during the election period:

(a) Remain a member of the public employees' retirement system; or

(b) Become a member of the public safety employees' retirement system plan 2. All members will be dual members as provided in chapter 41.54 RCW, and public employees' retirement system service credit may not be transferred to the public safety employees' retirement system plan 2.

(2) The election period is the period between July 1, 2015, and September 30, 2015.

(3) During the election period, employees remain members of the public employees' retirement system plan 2 or plan 3 until they elect to join the public safety employees' retirement system. Members who elect to join the public safety employees' retirement system as described in subsection (1) of this section will have their membership begin prospectively from the date of their election.

(4) If after September 30, 2015, the member has not made an election to join the public safety employees' retirement system he or she will remain in the public employees' retirement system plan 2 or plan 3.

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