FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5221

                           C 73 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Specifying eligibility for survivor benefits.

Sponsors:  Senators Long, Winsley, Fraser, Bauer, Franklin and Patterson; by request of Joint Committee on Pension Policy.

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Appropriations

Background:  Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Plan 1 and Teachers Retirement System (TRS) Plan 1 survivor benefits may be lower when a member dies in active service rather than after retirement for disability.  Occasionally, a PERS 1 or TRS 1 member dies between the time they have begun applying for disability retirement and official retirement for disability.  In these cases the survivor benefit is based on the member being active rather than retired.

Summary:  The beneficiary of a disability retiree, or a disability retirement applicant, has the option of choosing between the active member and disability retiree death benefit if the member dies within 60 days after applying for a disability retirement.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 45 0

House     98 0

Effective:  April 19, 1997