Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research |
BILL ANALYSIS |
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Appropriations Committee |
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HB 2891
Brief Description: Determining which fire fighters or law enforcement officers may elect or be elected to certain pension and disability boards.
Sponsors: Representatives Sommers, Sullivan, Simpson, Cooper, O'Brien, Chase, Conway, Santos, Ogden, Casada and Morell.
Brief Summary of Bill |
$Allows Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 2 members to continue to serve on Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 1 disability boards, but they must be elected by the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 1 members who are subject to the jurisdiction of that board.
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Hearing Date: 2/6/02
Staff: Andrea Hardy (786‑7349).
Background:
The statutes creating the 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 the affected cities or towns within the county.
Representatives on the disability boards are not required to be LEOFF 1 members. Given the growing proportion of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) members, the membership of many LEOFF 1 disability boards has become increasingly dominated by LEOFF 2 members.
Summary of Bill:
LEOFF Plan 2 members may continue to serve on LEOFF 1 disability boards, but they must be elected by the LEOFF 1 members who are subject to the jurisdiction of that board.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 4, 2002.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.