HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6602

                      As Passed House:

                        March 2, 2000

Title:  An act relating to disability board membership.

Brief Description:  Revising membership of certain LEOFF disability boards.

Sponsors:  Senators Loveland and Patterson.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  2/26/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/2/00, 98-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$In counties with populations less than 60,000, the member of the LEOFF Plan 1 county disability board appointed by the mayors of cities and towns that do not have their own disabilities boards must be a resident of one of those cities and towns, but no longer must be a member of the legislative body of one of those cities or towns.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Huff, Republican Co-Chair; H. Sommers, Democratic Co-Chair; Barlean, Republican Vice Chair; Doumit, Democratic Vice Chair; D. Schmidt, Republican Vice Chair; Alexander; Benson; Boldt; Clements; Cody; Crouse; Gombosky; Grant; Kagi; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Mulliken; Parlette; Regala; Rockefeller; Ruderman; Sump and Tokuda.

Staff:  Denise Graham (786-7137).

Background:

The statutes creating the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters retirement system Plan 1 (LEOFF 1) provide for the creation of city and county disability boards.  These boards rule on claims for disability retirement for LEOFF 1 members, designate which medical services are available to LEOFF 1 retirees, and may require a LEOFF 1 retiree who seeks payment for medical services to submit to a medical exam.

Each city with a population of 20,000 or more has a LEOFF 1 disability board.  Each county has a disability board with five members.  The county board has jurisdiction over LEOFF 1 members who are not employed by a city that has its own disability board.  Under current law, one of the members of the county board must be a member of the legislative body of a city or town that does not have its own board.  This member must be chosen by a majority of the mayors of such cities or towns within the county.

Summary of Bill:

In counties with a population of less than 60,000, the member of a county LEOFF 1 disability board who is appointed by the mayors of the cities and towns that do not have their own disability boards must be a resident of one of those cities or towns, but need not be a member of a city or town legislative body.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  None.