SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6061

As Passed Senate, February 13, 2002

Title:  An act relating to requiring quarterly meetings of municipal firemen's pension boards.

Brief Description:  Requiring quarterly meetings of municipal firemen's pension boards.

Sponsors:  Senator Patterson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Ways & Means:  2/21/01, 2/22/01 [DP]; 1/31/02 [DP].

Passed Senate:  2/13/02, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Brown, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Fraser, Hewitt, Honeyford, Kline, Long, Parlette, Poulsen, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau and Zarelli.

Staff:  Erin Hannan (786‑7708)

Background:  Prior to the creation of the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Retirement System (LEOFF) in 1970, cities that employed full-time paid fire fighters established Municipal Firemen's Pension Boards to administer the benefits of the city's Firemen's Pension Fund.  Beginning in 1970, all full-time fire fighters became members of LEOFF, but fire fighters  who were covered by one of the city pension funds at that time had the option of retiring under the benefits of the pre-LEOFF system, if those benefits were more generous than the LEOFF benefits.  The city pension boards continued to operate for the benefit of the small number of retired fire fighters who elected to receive benefits pursuant to the pre-LEOFF plans.

The statutes that established the Municipal Firemen's Pension Boards provided that the boards shall meet at least once monthly. With each passing year, the boards have fewer members and issues to deal with and there is much less need for meetings.

Summary of Bill:  Municipal Firemen's Pension Boards are required to meet at least quarterly.

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:  No one.