HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1349
As Passed House:
February 6, 2025
Title: An act relating to the purchase of pension service credit for authorized leaves of absence.
Brief Description: Concerning the purchase of pension service credit for authorized leaves of absence.
Sponsors: Representatives Griffey, Bronoske, Bergquist, Couture, Rule, Ormsby, Hill and Nance; by request of LEOFF Plan 2 Retirement Board.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Appropriations: 1/23/25, 1/27/25 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/6/25, 94-0.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Permits members of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Plan 2 on authorized leaves of absence to purchase up to two years of service credit if the member retires, rather than returns to work.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 31 members:Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Gregerson, Vice Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Couture, Ranking Minority Member; Connors, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Penner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Schmick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berg, Bergquist, Burnett, Caldier, Callan, Corry, Cortes, Doglio, Dye, Fitzgibbon, Keaton, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Manjarrez, Marshall, Peterson, Pollet, Rude, Ryu, Springer, Stonier, Street, Thai and Tharinger.
Staff: David Pringle (786-7310).
Background:

The Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 2 contains provisions for employer authorized?unpaid leaves of absences.? Under these provisions, members may purchase up to two years of service credit upon return to full service, by paying the member, employer, and state contributions to the Department of Retirement Systems within five years of returning to service.
Summary of Bill:

A member of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Plan 2 on an authorized leave of absence is authorized to purchase up to two years of service credit if the member retires, rather than returns to work.? The contributions shall be based on the member's basic salary at the time the leave was authorized, adjusted for pay increases provided by the employer for similar jobs during the period of leave.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) A member out on a non-duty disability leave of absence was surprised to learn that service credit was not available when it turned out that they could not return to work.? This bill deals with this situation by removing the requirement that the member return.

?

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying:

Jacob White, LEOFF 2 Board.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.