ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5294

State of Washington
68th Legislature
2023 Regular Session
BySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Rolfes and Van De Wege; by request of Office of Financial Management)
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/23.
AN ACT Relating to actuarial funding of state retirement systems; amending RCW 41.45.150; amending 2021 c 334 s 747 (uncodified); providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 41.45.150 and 2011 c 362 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) ((Beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2015, maximum annual contribution rates are established for the portion of the employer contribution rate for the public employees' retirement system and the public safety employees' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. The maximum rates are:
Fiscal Year ending:
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
1.25%
1.25%
3.75%
4.50%
5.25%
6.00%
(2) Beginning September 1, 2009, and ending August 31, 2015, maximum annual contribution rates are established for the portion of the employer contribution rate for the school employees' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. The maximum rates are:
Fiscal Year ending:
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
1.25%
1.25%
3.75%
4.50%
5.25%
6.00%
(3) Beginning September 1, 2009, and ending August 31, 2015, maximum annual contribution rates are established for the portion of the employer contribution rate for the teachers' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the teachers' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. The maximum rates are:
Fiscal Year ending:
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2.04%
2.04%
6.50%
7.50%
8.50%
9.50%
(4))) Beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2023, a minimum 3.50 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the public employees' retirement system and the public safety employees' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. ((This minimum contribution rate shall remain effective until the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system equals one hundred percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(5)))(2) Beginning September 1, 2015, and ending August 31, 2023 a minimum 3.50 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the school employees' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. ((This minimum contribution rate shall remain effective until the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system equals one hundred percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(6)))(3) Beginning September 1, 2015, and ending August 31, 2023, a minimum 5.75 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the teachers' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the teachers' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. ((This minimum contribution rate shall remain effective until the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the teachers' retirement system equals one hundred percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(7)))(4)(a) Beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2027, the following employer contribution rates shall be in effect for the public employees' retirement system and the public safety employees' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009.
Fiscal Year ending:
2024
2025
2026
2027
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
0.50%
(b) Beginning July 1, 2027, a minimum 0.50 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the public employees' retirement system and the public safety employees' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing any portion of an unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. This minimum contribution rate shall be in effect when the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system is less than 100 percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(5)(a) Beginning September 1, 2023, and ending August 31, 2027, the following employer contribution rates shall be in effect for the school employees' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009.
Fiscal Year ending:
2024
2025
2026
2027
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
0.50%
(b) Beginning September 1, 2027, a minimum 0.50 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the school employees' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing any portion of an unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the public employees' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. This minimum contribution rate shall be in effect when the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the public employees' retirement system is less than 100 percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(6)(a) Beginning September 1, 2023, and ending August 31, 2027, the following employer contribution rates shall be in effect for the teachers' retirement system that is used for the sole purpose of amortizing that portion of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the teachers' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009.
Fiscal Year ending:
2024
2025
2026
2027
0.50%
0.50%
0.00%
0.00%
(b) Beginning September 1, 2027, a minimum 0.50 percent contribution is established as part of the basic employer contribution rate for the teachers' retirement system, to be used for the sole purpose of amortizing any portion of an unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the teachers' retirement system plan 1 that excludes any amounts required to amortize plan 1 benefit improvements effective after June 30, 2009. This minimum contribution rate shall be in effect when the actuarial value of assets in plan 1 of the teachers' retirement system is less than 100 percent of the actuarial accrued liability.
(7) Upon completion of each biennial actuarial valuation, the state actuary shall review the appropriateness of the minimum contribution rates and recommend to the council any adjustments as may be needed due to material changes in benefits or actuarial assumptions, methods, or experience. Any changes adopted by the council shall be subject to revision by the legislature.
Sec. 2. 2021 c 334 s 747 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE STATE TREASURERTEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM PLAN 1 FUND
General FundState Appropriation (FY 2023)
. . . .
(($800,000,000))
     
$250,000,000
TOTAL APPROPRIATION
. . . .
(($800,000,000))
     
$250,000,000
The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations: The entire general fundstate appropriation is provided solely for expenditure on June 30, 2023, into the teachers' retirement system plan 1 fund, to be applied to the unfunded actuarial accrued liability.
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 June 30, 2023.
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