H-2063              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1163

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representative Belcher

Read first time 3/2/87 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to service credit for leaves of absence under the public employees' retirement system; amending RCW 41.40.005; and adding a new section to chapter 41.40 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.40 RCW to read as follows:

          A member who is on a paid leave of absence authorized by a member's employer shall continue to receive service credit.

          A member shall be eligible to receive a maximum of two years service credit during a member's entire working career for those periods when a member is on an unpaid leave of absence authorized by an employer.  Such credit may be obtained only if the member makes both the employer and member contributions plus interest, as determined by the department, for the period of the authorized leave of absence within five years of resumption of service or prior to retirement, whichever occurs first.  For the purpose of this section, the contribution shall not include the unfunded liability contribution required by RCW 41.40.361.  The contributions required shall be based on the average of the member's compensation earnable at both the time the authorized leave of absence was granted and the time the member resumed employment.

          A member who has taken before the effective date of this section a leave or leaves of absence authorized by an employer may receive service credit under this section for the period or periods, not exceeding two years, if the member makes within six months of the effective date of this section the contributions and interest required by this section.

        Sec. 2.  Section 21, chapter 295, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as amended by section 6, chapter 249, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and RCW 41.40.005 are each amended to read as follows:

          The provisions of the following sections of this chapter shall apply only to persons who establish membership in the retirement system on or before September 30, 1977:  RCW 41.40.150, 41.40.160, 41.40.170, 41.40.175, 41.40.180, 41.40.185, 41.40.190, 41.40.193, 41.40.195, 41.40.200, 41.40.210, 41.40.220, 41.40.230, 41.40.235, 41.40.250, 41.40.260, 41.40.270, 41.40.280, 41.40.300, 41.40.310, 41.40.320, and 41.40.330.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Section 1 of this act shall be codified as RCW 41.40.175.