Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Appropriations Committee |
HB 1173
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Addressing military service credit for members of the Washington state patrol retirement system.
Sponsors: Representatives Muri, Kilduff, Stanford, Sells, McDonald, Reeves and Lovick.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/26/17
Staff: David Pringle (786-7310).
Background:
The Washington State Patrol Retirement System (WSPRS) provides retirement and disability benefits to fully commissioned officers of the Washington State Patrol (WSP). There are two tiers of benefits in WSPRS Plan 1, which was closed on December 31, 2002, and Plan 2, which has covered all fully commissioned officers of the WSP that received their commissions after that date.
Any member commissioned prior to January 1, 2003, with 25 years of service in the Washington State Patrol and enrolled in WSPRS Plan 1 may have the member's service in the uniformed services credited as a member whether or not the individual left the employ of the Washington State Patrol to enter such uniformed services. Members of WSPRS Plan 2 may have military service credit granted to them under several circumstances, but all require that the service be interruptive, meaning that the member leaves state service to enter the uniformed services of the United States.
Only two plans in the Washington State retirement systems allow for the inclusion of up to five years of prior, or non-interruptive, military service when determining a member's total service credit for calculating their retirement allowance: Public Employees' Retirement System Plan 1 and WSPRS Plan 1.
Summary of Bill:
Any member of the Washington State Patrol Retirement System with 25 years of service in the Washington State Patrol may count up to five years of military service credited as a member whether or not the individual left the employment of the WSP to do so.
Removes provisions providing interruptive military service credit to WSPRS members in several circumstances, including for members with less than 25 years of service credit at retirement, to receive a total of more than 5 years of military service credit, and for refunds of contributions made for military service credit under certain circumstances.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.