FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5661

C 188 L 17

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Addressing interruptive service credit for members of the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system.

Sponsors: Senator Rolfes.

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Appropriations

Background: A member of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 2 (LEOFF 2), as well as other state retirement systems, who leaves employment to enter the armed forces of the United States may receive up to five years of retirement system service credit. These provisions are administered consistent with the governing federal law, the Uniform Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA).

Following re-employment in a retirement system-covered position, a member may have up to five years of military service credited to their retirement system by paying the employee contributions. Depending on when the military service was completed, the member may or may not have been required to also pay interest on the contributions. The contributions are based on the average of the member's compensation at the time the member left employment to join the armed forces and at the time the member resumed employment, and payment must be completed within five years following either the first resumption of state employment or accumulation of 25 years of service credit.

A member that provides proof to the Director of the Department of Retirement Systems that the member’s interruptive military service credit was earned during a period of war may receive up to five years of interruptive military service credit without paying the employee contributions.

Period of war is defined in RCW 41.04.005 to include specific named conflicts, including World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War, and any future period beginning on the date of a future declaration of war by Congress and ending on the date of a Presidential proclamation or resolution by Congress. Additional armed conflicts are included where the individual was awarded the respective campaign badge or medal.

Summary: The LEOFF 2 Retirement Board (Board) must study the requirement that members of LEOFF 2 that are veterans of specified conflicts make contributions to the plan for periods of interruptive service credit where the member was not awarded a campaign badge or medal. The Board must report the findings of the study to the appropriate committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2018.

Votes on Final Passage: