December 3rd 2024

Legislation


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URGENT:

Contact the members of the Appropriations Committee NOW!
SSB 5791 Is scheduled for public hearing February 22, 2022 at 3:30 pm

Action Alert:
There will be a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 3:30 pm for SSB 5791 (subject to change). Call your representatives now! Encourage them to vote yes on SSB 5791!

LEOFF 1 Members Spouse, Beneficiaries, and Family Members, it is essential for you to sign in and support SSB 5791. Please sign in Pro or that you support the bill.

For assistance, call the LEOFF 1 office before noon on February 22nd. Call the LEOFF 1 Coalition office: 360-570-1035.

Let Your Voice BE Heard: Share Your Concerns
TVW, Watch It Live, February 22nd at 3:30 pm Click Here
CALL THE HOTLINE Toll-Free number (1-800-562-6000)
Steps to join a Committee Meeting: Click Here

House Appropriations Committee Members Contact List: Click Here (.PDF)

SENATE BILL REPORT SSB 5791

Click here to show your suppor of SB 5791

Brief Description: Concerns law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits. Provides Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 1 members with a one-time lump sum equal to $100 per month of service for retirees and a minimum of $20,000 for catastrophic and duty disability retirees and duty death beneficiaries.

Based on the 2020 actuarial valuation, LEOFF 1 is 148 percent funded with a surplus of $1.92 billion. LEOFF 1 currently has approximately 6808 annuitants and 10 active members.

REMEMBER:

  • *SSB 5791 will not affect your Monthly LEOFF 1 Retirement check or Medical Benefits.
  • The agency you retired from pays your medical benefits.
  • Your Medical Benefits are not paid from your retirement pension fund.

The LEOFF 1 Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement Plan is 148% benefits if the SSB passes; the Fund will be 143% overfunded, estimated.
Federal and State Law Closed Pension are Considered Fully at 120%.

SENATE BILL REPORT SSB 5791
Passed out of the Senate a vote of 49 to 0 February 15, 2022, and has moved to the House of Representatives to the Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee will Schedule hearing meeting dates and agendas.
Please check the LEOFF 1 Coalition website. leoff1coalition.org

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTUARIAL ANALYSIS:

  • This bill results in a cost to the retirement systems because it provides enhanced benefits to members of LEOFF 1. We estimate the value of these benefits is $155 million on the measurement date of June 30, 2019.
  • No member or employer contributions are required since this bill does not create an unfunded liability in LEOFF 1.
  • We estimate there are 6,912 total eligible members on the measurement date. Further, we estimate 2,556 of those members retired due to a duty-related disability.

Thank you Senator Schoesler and Senator Short for sponsoring SB 5791.

A Special Thanks goes out to Senator John Lovick for all his help on the SSB 5791: Concerning law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits.

Thank you:
- Senator Christine Rolfes, and Senator Steve Conway
- All LEOFF 1 Members, and Beneficiaries
- LEOFF 1 Coalition Board Members Dennis Hooper President, Andy Wilson Vice Present and Lobbyist, John Zimmaro Secertary, Helen Supernant, Treasurer, Diane Erickson, Jerry Birt, and Joyce Willms Executive Director and Lobbyist
- Washington State Association of Retired Officers, Ken Crowder, Director
- Wa State Retired Deputy Sheriffs and Police Officers Association, Joe Dawson, President, Don McCabe, Vice President East Side, and Ronnie Johnston, Vice President West Side

The LEOFF 1 Surplus belongs to LEOFF 1 Members and Beneficiaries.


SSB 5791 Passed out of the Senate to Appropriations
LEOFF 1 Retirees Pension-fund surplus

Dear LEOFF 1 Members, Spouse, Beneficiaries, and Family Members,
Thank You for all your hard work writing emails, and making phone calls to the Legislators.
Together, we can protect the LEOFF 1 Pension

SENATE BILL REPORT SSB 5791
Passed out of the Senate with a vote of 49-0 on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, and has moved to the House of Representatives to the Appropriations Committee. The Appropriations Committee will schedule hearing meeting dates and agendas.
Please check the LEOFF 1 Coalition website for updates leoff1coalition.org

Title: An act relating to law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits. Sponsors: Senators Schoesler and Short.

Brief Description: Concerns law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits. Provides Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 1 members with a one-time lump sum equal to $100 per month of service for retirees and a minimum of $20,000 for catastrophic and duty disability retirees and duty death beneficiaries.

SSB 5791 will not affect your Monthly LEOFF 1 Retirement check or Medical Benefits.

Remember, your Medical Benefits are not paid out of your retirement pension fund. Instead, the agency you retired from pays your medical benefits.


Let Your Voice BE Heard:
Share Your Concerns

TVW, Watch It Live Cick Here

CALL THE HOTLINE Toll-Free number (1-800-562-6000).

Testifying in a Virtual Committee Meeting: Click Here
Steps to join a Committee Meeting: Click Here
Joining a Committee Meeting: Video and Audio in Zoom


Legislative Bills

SB 5336 - 2021-22; Oppose

Update: Bill has died

Current Version: SB 5336
Current Status: S Ways & Means

Jan 10 - By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. Not Action

Concerning law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system disability boards. Ways & Means.
Sponsors: Conway, Van De Wege, Das, Hasegawa, Holy, Keiser, Nobles

Brief Summary of Bill: Requires Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Plan 1 Disability Boards to provide eligible members with documentation of covered medical services.



SB 5453 - 2021-22; Oppose

Update: Bill has died

Jan 10 - By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. No Action

Concerning plans 1 and 2 of the state retirement systems.
Sponsors: Schoesler

This bill is a bad bill. This will open up the Leoff 1 Law

SB 5453 OPPOSED by Leoff 1 Coalition and Washington State Retired Deputy Sheriffs and Police Officers Association

The legislature finds that the assets in the local law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits improvement account, when combined with the excess funding in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement fund, are sufficient to fund a benefit improvement for members of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 without increasing the short-term cost for members, employers, or the state. As such, it is the intent of the legislature to increase the retirement allowance for active members with more than years of service and to provide a one-time payment to retired members.