Increasing the duty-related death benefit for public employees (EHB 1547)

This bill from the 2009 session would increase from $150,000 to $175,000, the lump-sum death benefit that is paid to survivors of state, school district, or higher education employees or members of PERS, LEOFF, TRS, SERS, PSERS, VFFRORPS, or WSPRS who die as a result of injuries sustained in the course of employment. The $175,000 death benefit would be payable from either the member’s retirement plan to members of the Washington State Retirement Systems, or from sundry claims if the employee was not covered by one of the state retirement systems.

The bill is scheduled for hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee on January 25 at 3:30 pm.

Providing access to catastrophic disability medical insurance under the LEOFF 2 plan (EHB 1679)

Also from the 2009 session, EHB 1649 would allow LEOFF Plan 2 members that are totally disabled in the line of duty, as well as their spouses and dependent children, to participate in programs of the Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB). The rates charged to totally disabled LEOFF Plan 2 members and dependents ineligible for Medicare for participation in the PEBB health insurance plans would be based on the risk pool of all actively employed and Medicare-ineligible PEBB members. If eligible for Medicare, the totally disabled LEOFF Plan 2 members or their dependents could participate in the PEBB Medicare supplemental plans, as do other Medicare-eligible PEBB members.

The eligibility to participate in PEBB plans would be a benefit of LEOFF Plan 2, and the Health Care Authority would charge an amount to the LEOFF Plan 2 Retirement Fund sufficient to offset the increased costs of the community risk pool attributable to the participation of the totally disabled members and their dependents. The act would expire July 1, 2011.

The bill is scheduled for hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee on January 25 at 3:30 pm.

Addressing duty-related death benefits for public safety employees (HB 2519/SB 6407)

This bill, requested by the LEOFF Plan 2 Retirement Board, would provide a comprehensive package of benefits to augment the existing duty-related death benefits for LEOFF 2 members. Specifics about the bill can be found in the January 8 Bulletin. This bill was heard and passed out of the House Ways & Means Committee on January 19 and is now in the House Rules Committee.

Both bills are the result of the recent tragedies involving police officers and deputy sheriffs in Seattle, Lakewood and Pierce County.

Concerning the recommendations of the joint legislative task force on the underground economy (SB 6575)

In 2009, the Legislature passed SHB 1555. This bill called for the extension of the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Underground Economy to December 15, 2009. With the passage of that bill, the scope of the task force was extended beyond construction, and the membership of the committee was expanded to include representatives of cities and counties.

SB 6575 would implement the recommendations of the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Underground Economy. Specifically, the bill would:

Authorize the director of the Department of Labor and Industries to reduce fines for a contractor who fails to register if the contractor registers and completes a contractor training class.
Authorize the Department of Labor and Industries to conduct contractor training classes.

The bill is scheduled for hearing on January 25 at 10 am in the Senate Labor and Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee.

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