BILL REQ. #:  Z-0496.1 

Read first time 01/26/11.   Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

     AN ACT Relating to higher education employees' annuities and retirement income plans; amending RCW 28B.10.400, 28B.10.405, 28B.10.410, 28B.10.415, 28B.10.417, 28B.10.423, and 28B.10.430; adding a new section to chapter 41.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 41.40 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature intends that the retirement and annuity programs of the state's institutions of higher education be revised for future participants to reflect changes that have already occurred in state pension plans. The legislature intends also that newly hired employees who are eligible for participation in an annuity or retirement income plan offered by a higher education institution have an opportunity to participate in either (1) that plan without a supplemental benefit under RCW 28B10.400(3), or (2) in the public employees' retirement system plan 3 or the teachers' retirement system plan 3. Plan 3 provides a combination of defined contribution and defined benefit pension, which will be available for newly hired employees. Further, the legislature intends that effective July 1, 2011, state funding for annuity or retirement income plans under RCW 28B.10.400 will not exceed six percent of salary.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.10.400 and 2010 c 21 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The boards of regents of the state universities, the boards of trustees of the regional universities and of The Evergreen State College, ((and)) the state board for community and technical colleges, and the higher education coordinating board are authorized and empowered:
     (((1))) (a) To assist the faculties and such other employees as any such board may designate in the purchase of old age annuities or retirement income plans under such rules as any such board may prescribe, subject to the restrictions in subsection (2) of this section. County agricultural agents, home demonstration agents, 4-H club agents, and assistant county agricultural agents paid jointly by the Washington State University and the several counties shall be deemed to be full time employees of the Washington State University for the purposes hereof;
     (((2))) (b) To provide, under such rules and regulations as any such board may prescribe for the faculty members or other employees under its supervision, for the retirement of any such faculty member or other employee on account of age or condition of health, retirement on account of age to be not earlier than the sixty-fifth birthday: PROVIDED, That such faculty member or such other employee may elect to retire at the earliest age specified for retirement by federal social security law: PROVIDED FURTHER, That any supplemental payment authorized by (c) of this subsection (((3) of this section)) and paid as a result of retirement earlier than age sixty-five shall be at an actuarially reduced rate; and shall be provided only to those persons who are employed by a higher education institution and who participate in an annuity or retirement income plan under (a) of this subsection prior to July 1, 2011;
     (((3))) (c) To pay ((to any such retired person)) only to those persons who are employed by a higher education institution and who participate in an annuity or retirement income plan under (a) of this subsection prior to July 1, 2011, or to his or her designated beneficiary(s), each year after his or her retirement, a supplemental amount which, when added to the amount of such annuity or retirement income plan, or retirement income benefit pursuant to RCW 28B.10.415, received by the retired person or the retired person's designated beneficiary(s) in such year, will not exceed fifty percent of the average annual salary paid to such retired person for his or her highest two consecutive years of full time service under an annuity or retirement income plan established pursuant to (a) of this subsection (((1) of this section)) at an institution of higher education: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That if such retired person prior to retirement elected a supplemental payment survivors option, any such supplemental payments to such retired person or the retired person's designated beneficiary(s) shall be at actuarially reduced rates: PROVIDED FURTHER, That if a faculty member or other employee of an institution of higher education who is a participant in a retirement plan authorized by this section dies, or has died before retirement but after becoming eligible for retirement on account of age, the designated beneficiary(s) shall be entitled to receive the supplemental payment authorized by this subsection to which such designated beneficiary(s) would have been entitled had said deceased faculty member or other employee retired on the date of death after electing a supplemental payment survivors option: PROVIDED FURTHER, That for the purpose of this subsection, the designated beneficiary(s) shall be (((a))) (i) the surviving spouse of the retiree; or, (((b))) (ii) with the written consent of such spouse, if any, such other person or persons as shall have an insurable interest in the retiree's life and shall have been nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the retiree's institution of higher education((;)).
     (((4))) (2) Boards are prohibited from offering a purchased annuity or retirement income plan authorized under this section to employees hired on or after July 1, 2011, who have retired or are eligible to retire from a public employees' retirement system described in chapters 41.32, 41.35, and 41.40 RCW. The higher education coordinating board ((is also authorized and empowered as described in this section, subject to the following: The board)) shall only offer participation in a purchased annuity or retirement income plan authorized under this section to employees who have previously contributed premiums to a similar qualified plan((, and the board is prohibited from offering or funding such a plan authorized under this section for the benefit of any retiree who is receiving or accruing a retirement allowance from a public employees' retirement system under Title 41 RCW or chapter 43.43 RCW)).

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.10.405 and 1977 ex.s. c 169 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:
     Members of the faculties and such other employees as are designated by the boards of regents of the state universities, the boards of trustees of the regional universities and of The Evergreen State College, the higher education coordinating board, or the state board for community and technical colleges ((education)) who do not opt to become members of the teachers' retirement system or the public employees' retirement system under section 9 or 10 of this act, or who are not prevented from participation in an annuity or retirement plan under RCW 28B.10.400(2) shall be required to contribute not less than five percent of their salaries during each year of full time service after the first two years of such service toward the purchase of such annuity or retirement income plan; such contributions may be in addition to federal social security tax contributions, if any.

Sec. 4   RCW 28B.10.410 and 1977 ex.s. c 169 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
     The boards of regents of the state universities, the boards of trustees of the regional universities and of The Evergreen State College, the higher education coordinating board, or the state board for community and technical colleges ((education)) shall pay not more than one-half of the annual premium of any annuity or retirement income plan established under the provisions of RCW 28B.10.400 as now or hereafter amended. Such contribution shall not exceed ten percent of the salary of the faculty member or other employee on whose behalf the contribution is made. This contribution may be in addition to federal social security tax contributions made by the boards, if any.

Sec. 5   RCW 28B.10.415 and 1979 ex.s. c 259 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The boards of regents of the state universities, the boards of trustees of the regional universities and of The Evergreen State College, the higher education coordinating board, or the state board for community and technical colleges ((education)) shall not pay any amount to be added to the annuity or retirement income plan of any retired person who was first hired on or after July 1, 2011, or who has served for less than ten years in one or more of the state institutions of higher education. In the case of persons who have served more than ten years but less than twenty-five years no amount shall be paid in excess of four percent of the amount authorized in ((subdivision (3) of)) RCW 28B.10.400(1)(c) as now or hereafter amended, multiplied by the number of years of full time service rendered by such person: PROVIDED, That credit for years of service at an institution of higher education shall be limited to those years in which contributions were made by a faculty member or other employee designated pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400(1)(a) and the institution or the state as a result of which a benefit is being received by a retired person from any Washington state public retirement plan: PROVIDED FURTHER, That all such benefits that a retired person is eligible to receive shall reduce any supplementation payments provided for in RCW 28B.10.400 as now or hereafter amended.

Sec. 6   RCW 28B.10.417 and 1977 ex.s. c 169 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) This section applies only to those persons who are first employed by a higher education institution in a position eligible for participation in an annuity or retirement program under RCW 28B.10.400 prior to July 1, 2011.
     (2) A faculty member or other employee designated by the board of trustees of the applicable regional university or of The Evergreen State College as being subject to an annuity or retirement income plan and who, at the time of such designation, is a member of the Washington state teachers' retirement system, shall retain credit for such service in the Washington state teachers' retirement system and except as provided in subsection (((2))) (3) of this section, shall leave his or her accumulated contributions in the teachers' retirement fund. Upon his or her attaining eligibility for retirement under the Washington state teachers' retirement system, such faculty member or other employee shall receive from the Washington state teachers' retirement system a retirement allowance consisting of an annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at his or her age when becoming eligible for such retirement and a pension for each year of creditable service established and retained at the time of said designation as provided in RCW 41.32.497 ((as now or hereafter amended)). Anyone who on July 1, 1967, was receiving pension payments from the teachers' retirement system based on thirty-five years of creditable service shall thereafter receive a pension based on the total years of creditable service established with the retirement system: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That any such faculty member or other employee who, upon attainment of eligibility for retirement under the Washington state teachers' retirement system, is still engaged in public educational employment, shall not be eligible to receive benefits under the Washington state teachers' retirement system until he or she ceases such public educational employment. Any retired faculty member or other employee who enters service in any public educational institution shall cease to receive pension payments while engaged in such service: PROVIDED FURTHER, That such service may be rendered up to seventy-five days in a school year without reduction of pension.
     (((2))) (3) A faculty member or other employee designated by the board of trustees of the applicable regional university or of The Evergreen State College as being subject to the annuity and retirement income plan and who, at the time of such designation, is a member of the Washington state teachers' retirement system may, at his or her election and at any time, on and after midnight June 10, 1959, terminate his or her membership in the Washington state teachers' retirement system and withdraw his or her accumulated contributions and interest in the teachers' retirement fund upon written application to the board of trustees of the Washington state teachers' retirement system. Faculty members or other employees who withdraw their accumulated contributions, on and after the date of withdrawal of contributions, shall no longer be members of the Washington state teachers' retirement system and shall forfeit all rights of membership, including pension benefits, theretofore acquired under the Washington state teachers' retirement system.

Sec. 7   RCW 28B.10.423 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 149 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) For employees who are first employed by an institution of higher education in a position eligible for participation in an old age annuities or retirement income plan under chapter 28B.10 RCW prior to July 1, 2011, it is the intent of RCW 28B.10.400, 28B.10.405, 28B.10.410, 28B.10.415, 28B.10.420, 28B.10.423 and 83.20.030 that the retirement income resulting from the contributions described herein from the state of Washington and the employee shall be projected actuarially so that it shall not exceed sixty percent of the average of the highest two consecutive years salary. Periodic review of the retirement systems established pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400, 28B.10.405, 28B.10.410, 28B.10.415, 28B.10.420, 28B.10.423, and 83.20.030 will be undertaken at such time and in such manner as determined by the committees on ways and means of the senate and of the house of representatives ((and the public pension commission)), and joint contribution rates will be adjusted if necessary to accomplish this intent.
     (2) Beginning July 1, 2011, state funding for annuity or retirement income plans under RCW 28B.10.400 shall not exceed six percent of salary.
     (3) By July 30, 2012, and every two years thereafter, each institution of higher education that is responsible for payment of supplemental amounts under RCW 28B.10.400(1)(c) shall contract with the state actuary under chapter 41.44 RCW for an actuarial valuation of their supplemental benefit plan. At the discretion of the state actuary, the valuation may be performed by the state actuary or by an outside actuarial firm under contract to the office of the state actuary. Each institution of higher education is required to provide the data and information required for the performance of the valuation to the office of the state actuary or to the actuary performing the valuation on behalf of the state actuary. The state actuary may charge each institution for the actual cost of the valuation through an interagency agreement. Upon completion of the valuation, the state actuary shall provide copies of the valuation to the institution of higher education and to the select committee on pension policy and the pension funding council.

Sec. 8   RCW 28B.10.430 and 1979 ex.s. c 96 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) This section applies only to those persons who are first employed by an institution of higher education in a position eligible for participation in an old age annuities or retirement income plan under chapter 28B.10 RCW prior to July 1, 2011.
     (2) For any person receiving a monthly benefit pursuant to a program established under RCW 28B.10.400, the pension portion of such benefit shall be the sum of the following amounts:
     (a) One-half of the monthly benefit payable under such program by a life insurance company; and
     (b) The monthly equivalent of the supplemental benefit described in RCW 28B.10.400(((3))) (1)(c).
     (((2))) (3) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, effective July 1, 1979, no person receiving a monthly benefit pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400 shall receive, as the pension portion of that benefit, less than ten dollars per month for each year of service creditable to the person whose service is the basis of the benefit. Portions of a year shall be treated as fractions of a year and the decimal equivalent shall be multiplied by ten dollars. Where the benefit was adjusted at the time benefit payments to the beneficiary commenced, the minimum pension provided in this section shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with that adjustment.
     (((3))) (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, effective July 1, 1979, the monthly benefit of each person who commenced receiving a monthly benefit under this chapter as of a date no later than July 1, 1974, shall be permanently increased by a post-retirement adjustment. Such adjustment shall be calculated as follows:
     (a) Monthly benefits to which this subsection and subsection (((2))) (3) of this section are both applicable shall be determined by first applying subsection (((2))) (3) and then applying this subsection. The ((department)) institution shall determine the total years of creditable service and the total dollar benefit base accrued as of December 31, 1978, except that this determination shall take into account only those persons to whom this subsection applies;
     (b) The ((department)) institution shall multiply the total benefits determined in (a) of this subsection by six percent and divide the dollar value thus determined by the total service determined in (a) of this subsection. The resultant figure shall then be a post- retirement increase factor which shall be applied as specified in (c) of this subsection;
     (c) Each person to whom this subsection applies shall receive an increase which is the product of the factor determined in (b) of this subsection multiplied by the years of creditable service.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   A new section is added to chapter 41.32 RCW to be codified under the subchapter heading "plan 3" to read as follows:
     (1) All faculty members who are first employed by an institution of higher education in a position eligible for participation in old age annuities or retirement income plans under chapter 28B.10 RCW on or after July 1, 2011, have a period of thirty days to make an irrevocable choice to:
     (a) Become a member of the teachers' retirement system plan 3 under chapter 41.32 RCW; or
     (b) Participate in the annuities or retirement income plan provided by the institution.
     (2) At the end of thirty days, if the member has not made a choice to become a member of the teachers' retirement system, he or she becomes a participant in the institutions plan under RCW 28B.10.400, but does not become eligible for any supplemental benefit under RCW 28B.10.400(1)(c).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   A new section is added to chapter 41.40 RCW to be codified under the subchapter heading "plan 3" to read as follows:
     (1) All employees who are not qualified under section 9 of this act and who are first employed by an institution of higher education in a position eligible for participation in old age annuities or retirement income plans under RCW 28B.10.400 on or after July 1, 2011, have a period of thirty days to make an irrevocable choice to:
     (a) Become a member of the public employees' retirement system plan 3 under chapter 41.40 RCW; or
     (b) Participate in the annuities or retirement income plan provided by the institution.
     (2) At the end of thirty days, if the member has not made a choice to become a member of the public employees' retirement system, he or she becomes a participant in the institutions plan under RCW 28B.10.400, but does not become eligible for any supplemental benefit under RCW 28B.10.400(1)(c).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   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, 2011.