BILL REQ. #:  S-0686.1 

Read first time 01/17/2003.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to monthly pensions for volunteer fire fighters and reserve officers; amending RCW 41.24.185; reenacting and amending RCW 41.24.170; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 41.24.170 and 1999 c 148 s 15 and 1999 c 117 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     Except as provided in RCW 41.24.410, whenever any participant has been a member and served honorably for a period of ten years or more as an active member in any capacity, of any regularly organized fire department or law enforcement agency of any municipality in this state, and which municipality has adopted appropriate legislation allowing its fire fighters or reserve officers to enroll in the retirement pension provisions of this chapter, and the participant has enrolled under the retirement pension provisions and has reached the age of sixty-five years, the board of trustees shall order and direct that he or she be retired and be paid a monthly pension from the principal fund as provided in this section.
     Whenever a participant has been a member, and served honorably for a period of twenty-five years or more as an active member in any capacity, of any regularly organized volunteer fire department or law enforcement agency of any municipality in this state, and he or she has reached the age of sixty-five years, and the annual retirement fee has been paid for a period of twenty-five years, the board of trustees shall order and direct that he or she be retired and such participant be paid a monthly pension of ((two hundred eighty)) three hundred dollars from the fund for the balance of that participant's life.
     Whenever any participant has been a member, and served honorably for a period of twenty-five years or more as an active member in any capacity, of any regularly organized volunteer fire department or law enforcement agency of any municipality in this state, and the participant has reached the age of sixty-five years, and the annual retirement fee has been paid for a period of less than twenty-five years, the board of trustees shall order and direct that he or she be retired and that such participant shall receive a minimum monthly pension of ((thirty)) fifty dollars increased by the sum of ten dollars each month for each year the annual fee has been paid, but not to exceed the maximum monthly pension provided in this section, for the balance of the participant's life.
     No pension provided in this section may become payable before the sixty-fifth birthday of the participant, nor for any service less than twenty-five years: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That:
     (1) Any participant, who is older than fifty-nine years of age, less than sixty-five years of age, and has completed twenty-five years or more of service may irrevocably elect a reduced monthly pension in lieu of the pension that participant would be entitled to under this section at age sixty-five. The participant who elects this option shall receive the reduced pension for the balance of his or her life. The reduced monthly pension is calculated as a percentage of the pension the participant would be entitled to at age sixty-five. The percentage used in the calculation is based upon the age of the participant at the time of retirement as follows:

     Age 60 Sixty percent
     Age 61 Sixty-eight percent
     Age 62 Seventy-six percent
     Age 63 Eighty-four percent
     Age 64 Ninety-two percent

     (2) If a participant is age sixty-five or older but has less than twenty-five years of service, the participant is entitled to a reduced benefit. The reduced benefit shall be computed as follows:
     (a) Upon completion of ten years, but less than fifteen years of service, a monthly pension equal to twenty percent of such pension as the participant would have been entitled to receive at age sixty-five after twenty-five years of service;
     (b) Upon completion of fifteen years, but less than twenty years of service, a monthly pension equal to thirty-five percent of such pension as the participant would have been entitled to receive at age sixty-five after twenty-five years of service; and
     (c) Upon completion of twenty years, but less than twenty-five years of service, a monthly pension equal to seventy-five percent of such pension as the participant would have been entitled to receive at age sixty-five after twenty-five years of service.
     (3) If a participant with less than twenty-five years of service elects to retire after turning age sixty but before turning age sixty-five, the participant's retirement allowance is subject:
     (a) First to the reduction under subsection (2) of this section based upon the participant's years of service; and
     (b) Second to the reduction under subsection (1) of this section based upon the participant's age.

Sec. 2   RCW 41.24.185 and 1989 c 91 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any monthly pension, payable under this chapter, which will not amount to ((twenty-five)) fifty dollars may be converted into a lump sum payment equal to the actuarial equivalent of the monthly pension. The conversion may be made either upon written application to the state board and shall rest at the discretion of the state board; or the state board may make, on its own motion, lump sum payments, equal or proportionate, as the case may be, to the value of the annuity then remaining in full satisfaction of claims due. Any person receiving a monthly payment of less than twenty-five dollars at the time of September 1, 1979, may elect, within two years, to convert such payments into a lump sum payment as ((herein)) provided in this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2003.