by
<a href="mailto:loganb@awcnet.org">Logan Bahr</a>, <a href="mailto:brandona@awcnet.org">Brandon Anderson</a> | Apr 01, 2019
<a target="_blank" href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2144&Initiative=false&Year=2019"><strong>HB 2144</strong></a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5983&Year=2019&Initiative=false"><strong>SB 5983</strong></a>, concerning the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) pension system, were recently introduced and heard by legislators.
HB 2144 and SB 5983, concerning the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) pension system, were recently introduced and heard by legislators. Currently, both bills are scheduled to advance out of committee.
In 2008, the state created the Local Public Safety Enhancement Account to provide local governments greater resources for public safety and to create a new mechanism to pay for LEOFF 2 benefit enhancements. The LPSEA has never been funded by the state.
Now, HB 2144 and SB 5983 seek to repeal these obligations while transferring $300 million out of the LEOFF 2 trust fund and into a subaccount to pay for unidentified new pension benefits. AWC has concerns that these proposals use non-state pension trust funds to pay for a state obligation and reduce the pension plan’s funded status. The transfer also opens questions of federal and state law.
AWC will continue to engage on this issue.
Dates to remember
HB 2144 is scheduled for executive session in the House Appropriations Committee on April 1 at 3:30 pm.
SB 5983 is scheduled for executive session in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 3 at 1:30 pm.