Brief Description: Purchasing service credit in plan 2 and plan 3 of the teachers' retirement system for public education experience performed as a teacher in a public school in another state or with the federal government.

Sponsors: Representatives Conway, Darneille, Haler, Simpson, Hasegawa and Haigh.

Hearing Date: 1/22/07

Staff: David Pringle (786-7310).

Background:

The Teachers' Retirement System Plans 2 and 3 (TRS 2/3) provide retirement benefits to employees certificated by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to teach for educational service or school districts, as well as to state educational service and school district superintendents and assistant superintendents. The TRS 2/3 provides for full retirement benefits at age 65 and early retirement benefits beginning at age 55, following the completion of 10 years of service in TRS Plan 3 and 20 years of service in TRS Plan 2.

A member of TRS Plan 2 eligible for retirement is entitled to a benefit based in part upon the number of years that the member has worked multiplied by 2 percent of his or her final average salary. The employer and the TRS Plan 2 employee each contribute one-half of the cost of the contributions required to fund the 2 percent-formula Plan 2 benefit. A member of TRS Plan 3 eligible for retirement is entitled to a benefit based upon the number of years the member has worked multiplied by 1 percent of his or her final average salary, plus the balance of the member's individual defined contribution account. The employer funds the contributions necessary to fund the 1 percent-formula Plan 3 benefit, and the employee contributes to the individual member account at a rate chosen annually by the employee, but no less than 5 percent of pay.

Members of TRS 2/3 may make a one-time purchase of up to seven years of service credit for public education experience outside Washington's retirement systems. The education experience must have been covered by a government retirement plan, and the member must have earned at least five years of service credit in TRS 2/3. In addition, the member must not be receiving, or be eligible to receive, a retirement benefit from the other plan.

The service credit purchased is considered membership service in TRS 2/3, and it thus may be used to qualify the member for retirement or early retirement. The member must pay a cost for the service credit equal to the actuarial value of the increase in value of the member's benefits. A member that purchases out-of-state service credit may not use credit in other state's retirement systems for the purposes of qualifying for retirement in Washington.

Summary of Bill:

The required service credit that must be earned in TRS 2/3 before a member can purchase out-of-state service credit at full actuarial cost is reduced from five years to two.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.