Addressing duty-related death benefits for public safety employees.
Summary
Removes the 10-year service requirement in Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) and the Washington State Patrol Retirement System Plan 2 (WSPRS 2) for survivors of duty-related deaths to qualify for a survivor annuity.
Removes the actuarial reduction for a joint and 100 percent survivor option applied to survivor annuities in LEOFF 2 and WSPRS 2 for survivors of duty-related death.
Provides a minimum survivor annuity in LEOFF 2 and WSPRS 2 of 10 percent of final average salary for survivors of duty-related deaths.
Increases the lump-sum, duty-related death benefit in all plans of LEOFF and WSPRS to $214,000 and annually increases the lump sum by up to 3 percent per year.
Provides LEOFF and WSPRS duty-related death survivors an optional 36 months, rather than 24 months, lump-sum benefit in the provision that halt workers’ compensation pension benefits upon remarriage.
Requires (rather than permits as in current law) state higher education institutions to waive payment of all tuition, services, and activity fees for both the children and surviving spouses of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, or Washington State Patrol Officer that died or became totally disabled in the line of duty.
From the Engrossed House Bill Report (EHB 2519), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗