SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5090

As Passed Senate, March 6, 2003

Title: An act relating to determining which fire fighters or law enforcement officers may elect or be elected to certain pension and disability boards.

Brief Description: Determining which fire fighters or law enforcement officers may elect or be elected to certain pension and disability boards.

Sponsors: Senators Carlson, Fraser, Spanel and Rasmussen; by request of Joint Committee on Pension Policy.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Ways & Means: 1/28/03, 2/3/03 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/6/03, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Rossi, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Brown, Doumit, Fairley, Fraser, Hale, Honeyford, Johnson, Parlette, Poulsen, Regala, Sheahan, B. Sheldon and Winsley.

Staff: Erik Sund (786-7454)

Background: Each city having a population of 20,000 or more, and each county, has a disability board to hear disability claims and make medical benefit determinations for its active and retired members of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 1. Board members must be active or retired members of LEOFF Plan 1. The boards are elected by other members of LEOFF Plan 1 and the earlier Firemen's Relief and Pension plan.

Summary of Bill: Active and retired police officers and fire fighters may serve on the LEOFF Plan 1 disability boards whether they are members of LEOFF Plan 1 or not. Members of the board continue to be elected by members of the LEOFF Plan 1 and the Firemen's Relief and Pension plan only.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Testimony For: This bill will improve the retirement system.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Kelly Fox, Washington State Council of Fire Fighters.