Title:

ERS

Description:

Changes for legislative officers appointed after June 30, 2003, the basis for calculating retirement allowances from three and one-half percent per year to two percent, and applies an age reduction penalty for those retiring before age 55. (HB403 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

403

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the employees' retirement system.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 88-74, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§88-74 Allowance on service retirement. Upon retirement from service, a member shall receive a retirement allowance as follows:

(1) If the member has attained age fifty-five, a retirement allowance of two per cent of the member's average final compensation multiplied by the total number of years of the member's credited service as a class A and B member, including service as a legislative officer if first appointed after June 30, 2003, excluding any credited service as a judge, elective officer, or legislative officer[,] if appointed prior to July 1, 2003, plus a retirement allowance of one and one-fourth per cent of the member's average final compensation multiplied by the total number of years of prior credited service as a class C member; provided that:

(A) After June 30, 1968, if the member has at least ten years of credited service of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as a firefighter, police officer, or an investigator of the department of the prosecuting attorney;

(B) After June 30, 1977, if the member has at least ten years of credited service of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as a corrections officer;

(C) After June 16, 1981, if the member has at least ten years of credited service of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as an investigator of the department of the attorney general;

(D) After June 30, 1989, if the member has at least ten years of credited service of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as a narcotics enforcement investigator;

(E) After December 31, 1993, if the member has at least ten years of credited service of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service as a water safety officer;

(F) After June 30, 1994, if the member has at least ten years of credited service, of which the last five or more years prior to retirement are credited service as a public safety investigations staff investigator; and

(G) After June 30, 2002, if the member has at least ten years of credited service as a firefighter, and is deemed permanently medically disqualified due to a service related disability to be a firefighter by the employer's physician, and continues employment in a class A or B position other than a firefighter;

then for each year of service as a firefighter, police officer, corrections officer, investigator of the department of the prosecuting attorney, investigator of the department of the attorney general, narcotics enforcement investigator, water safety officer, or public safety investigations staff investigator, the retirement allowance shall be two and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation. The maximum retirement allowance for those members shall not exceed eighty per cent of the member's average final compensation. If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary; provided that no reduction shall be made if the member has at least twenty-five years of credited service as a firefighter, police officer, corrections officer, investigator of the department of the prosecuting attorney, investigator of the department of the attorney general, narcotics enforcement investigator, public safety investigations staff investigator, sewer worker, or water safety officer, of which the last five or more years prior to retirement is credited service in such capacities;

(2) If the member has made voluntary additional contributions for the purchase of an additional annuity and has not applied for a refund as permitted by section 88-72, the member may accept the refund at the time of retirement or, in lieu thereof, receive in addition to the retirement allowance provided in paragraph (1), an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the additional contributions with regular interest;

(3) If the member has credited service as a judge, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed on the following basis:

(A) For a member who has credited service as a judge before July 1, 1999, irrespective of age, for each year of credited service as a judge, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of such service; and

(B) For a member who first earned credited service as a judge after June 30, 1999, for each year of credited service as a judge, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of such service. If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary; or

(C) For a judge with other credited service, as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2). If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary; or

(D) For a judge with credited service as an elective officer or as a legislative officer, as provided in paragraph (4).

No allowance shall exceed seventy-five per cent of the member's average final compensation. If the allowance exceeds this limit, it shall be adjusted by reducing the annuity included in subparagraphs (A) and (B) and the portion of the accumulated contributions specified in the subparagraphs in excess of the requirements of the reduced annuity shall be returned to the member. The allowance for judges under this paragraph, together with the retirement allowance provided by the federal government for similar service, shall in no case exceed seventy-five per cent of the member's average final compensation; or

(4) If the member has credited service as an elective officer or as a legislative officer, the member's retirement allowance shall be derived by adding the allowances computed separately under subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) as follows:

(A) Irrespective of age, for each year of credited service as an elective officer, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section [88-81(d)(1),] 88-81(f)(1), in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of service; and

[(B) Irrespective of age, for each year of credited service as a legislative officer, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section 88-81(d)(2), in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of service;]

(B) If the member has credited service as a legislative officer, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed on the following basis:

(i) For a member who was appointed as a legislative officer before July 1, 2003, irrespective of age, for each year of credited service as a legislative officer, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section 88-81(f)(2), in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of such service; and

(ii) For a member who first earned credited service as a legislative officer after June 30, 2003, and has attained the age of fifty-five, for each year of credited service as a legislative officer, two per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section 88-81(f)(2). If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary;

(C) If the member has credited service as a judge, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed on the following basis:

(i) For a member who has credited service as a judge before July 1, 1999, irrespective of age, for each year of credited service as a judge, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section [88-81(d)(3),] 88-81(f)(3), in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of such service; and

(ii) For a member who first earned credited service as a judge after June 30, 1999, and has attained the age of fifty-five, for each year of credited service as a judge, three and one-half per cent of the member's average final compensation as computed under section [88-81(d)(3),] 88-81(f)(3), in addition to an annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the member's accumulated contributions allocable to the period of such service. If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary;

and

(D) For each year of credited service not included in subparagraph (A)[,] or (B), [or (C),] the average final compensation as computed under section [88-81(d)(4)] 88-81(f)(4) shall be multiplied by two per cent, two and one-half per cent, or one and one-quarter per cent, as applicable to the credited service earned as a class A, B, or C member, respectively. If the member has not attained age fifty-five, the member's retirement allowance shall be computed as though the member had attained age fifty-five, reduced in accordance with factors of actuarial equivalence adopted by the board upon the advice of the actuary.

The total retirement allowance shall not exceed seventy-five per cent of the member's highest average final compensation calculated under section [88-81(d)(1),] 88-81(f)(1), (2), (3), or (4). If the allowance exceeds this limit, it shall be adjusted by reducing any annuity accrued under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) and the portion of the accumulated contributions specified in these subparagraphs in excess of the requirements of the reduced annuity shall be returned to the member. If a member has service credit as an elective officer, or as a legislative officer in addition to service credit as a judge, then the retirement benefit calculation contained in this paragraph shall supersede the formula contained in paragraph (3)."

SECTION 2. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective date.

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.