State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 1st Special Session |
Read first time 01/19/12. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to benefits and contributions for new members of the public employees' retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, and the school employees' retirement system; amending RCW 41.32.765, 41.32.875, 41.35.420, 41.35.680, 41.40.630, 41.40.820, and 41.45.035; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 41.32.765 and 2007 c 491 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service
credit years of service who has attained at least age sixty-five shall
be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty
service credit years of service who has attained at least age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance
computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a
member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number
of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at
least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall
be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 2 RCW 41.32.875 and 2007 c 491 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five
and who has:
(a) Completed ten service credit years; or
(b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service
credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
(c) Completed five service credit years by July 1, 1996, under plan
2 and who transferred to plan 3 under RCW 41.32.817;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance
computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age
fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be
eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number
of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at
least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall
be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.840, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 3 RCW 41.35.420 and 2007 c 491 s 6 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service
credit years who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible
to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to
the provisions of RCW 41.35.400.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty
service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible
to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to
the provisions of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member retiring pursuant
to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially
reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at
retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at
least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall
be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.400, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 4 RCW 41.35.680 and 2007 c 491 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five
and who has:
(a) Completed ten service credit years; or
(b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service
credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
(c) Completed five service credit years by September 1, 2000, under
the public employees' retirement system plan 2 and who transferred to
plan 3 under RCW 41.35.510;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance
computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age
fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be
eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number
of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at
least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall
be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.35.620, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 5 RCW 41.40.630 and 2007 c 491 s 9 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service
credit years who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible
to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to
the provisions of RCW 41.40.620.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty
service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible
to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to
the provisions of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member retiring pursuant
to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially
reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at
retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after July 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least
thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be
eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.620, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 6 RCW 41.40.820 and 2007 c 491 s 10 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five
and who has:
(a) Completed ten service credit years; or
(b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service
credit months after attaining age forty-four; or
(c) Completed five service credit years by the transfer payment
date specified in RCW 41.40.795, under the public employees' retirement
system plan 2 and who transferred to plan 3 under RCW 41.40.795;
shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance
computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has attained at least age
fifty-five and has completed at least ten years of service shall be
eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number
of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit
years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and
to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions
of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member retiring pursuant to this
subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent
per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age
at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after July 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least
thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be
eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed
according to the provisions of RCW 41.40.790, except that a member
retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement
allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement Age | Percent Reduction | |
55 | 20% | |
56 | 17% | |
57 | 14% | |
58 | 11% | |
59 | 8% | |
60 | 5% | |
61 | 2% | |
62 | 0% | |
63 | 0% | |
64 | 0% |
Sec. 7 RCW 41.45.035 and 2009 c 561 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Beginning July 1, 2001, the following long-term economic
assumptions shall be used by the state actuary for the purposes of RCW
41.45.030:
(a) The growth in inflation assumption shall be 3.5 percent;
(b) The growth in salaries assumption, exclusive of merit or
longevity increases, shall be 4.5 percent;
(c) The investment rate of return assumption shall be 8 percent;
and
(d) The growth in system membership assumption shall be 1.25
percent for the public employees' retirement system, the public safety
employees' retirement system, the school employees' retirement system,
and the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.
The assumption shall be .90 percent for the teachers' retirement
system.
(2) Beginning July 1, 2009, the growth in salaries assumption for
the public employees' retirement system, the public safety employees'
retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, the school
employees' retirement system, plan 1 of the law enforcement officers'
and firefighters' retirement system, and the Washington state patrol
retirement system, exclusive of merit or longevity increases, shall be
the sum of:
(a) The growth in inflation assumption in subsection (1)(a) of this
section; and
(b) The productivity growth assumption of 0.5 percent.
(3) The following investment rate of return assumptions for the
public employees' retirement system, the public safety employees'
retirement system, the teachers' retirement system, the school
employees' retirement system, plan 1 of the law enforcement officers'
and firefighters' retirement system, and the Washington state patrol
retirement system, shall be used by the state actuary for the purposes
of RCW 41.45.030:
(a) Beginning July 1, 2013, the investment rate of return
assumption shall be 7.9 percent.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2015, the investment rate of return
assumption shall be 7.8 percent.
(c) Beginning July 1, 2017, the investment rate of return
assumption shall be 7.7 percent.
(d) For valuation purposes, the state actuary shall only use the
assumptions in (a) through (c) of this subsection after the effective
date in (a) through (c) of this subsection.
(e) By June 1, 2017, the state actuary shall submit to the council
information regarding the experience and financial condition of each
state retirement system, and make recommendations regarding the long-term investment rate of return assumptions set forth in this
subsection. The council shall review this and such other information
as it may require.
(4)(a) Beginning with actuarial studies done after July 1, 2003,
changes to plan asset values that vary from the long-term investment
rate of return assumption shall be recognized in the actuarial value of
assets over a period that varies up to eight years depending on the
magnitude of the deviation of each year's investment rate of return
relative to the long-term rate of return assumption. Beginning with
actuarial studies performed after July 1, 2004, the actuarial value of
assets shall not be greater than one hundred thirty percent of the
market value of assets as of the valuation date or less than seventy
percent of the market value of assets as of the valuation date.
Beginning April 1, 2004, the council, by affirmative vote of four
councilmembers, may adopt changes to this asset value smoothing
technique. Any changes adopted by the council shall be subject to
revision by the legislature.
(b) The state actuary shall periodically review the appropriateness
of the asset smoothing method in this section and recommend changes to
the council as necessary. Any changes adopted by the council shall be
subject to revision by the legislature.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 The select committee on pension policy, with
the assistance of the department of labor and industries, shall study
the issue of risk classifications of employees in the Washington state
retirement systems that entail either high degrees of physical or
psychological risk to the members' own safety or unusually high
physical requirements that result in elevated risks of injury or
disablement for older employees. The select committee on pension
policy, with the assistance of the office of the superintendent of
public instruction, shall also study existing early retirement factors
and job requirements that may limit the effectiveness of the older
classroom employee. The study shall identify groups and evaluate them
for inclusion in the public safety employees' retirement system or the
creation of other early retirement factors in the teachers' or school
employees' retirement systems. The select committee on pension policy
shall report the findings and recommendations of its study to the
legislative fiscal committees by no later than December 15, 2012.