Public Safety Employees Retirement System

By Martha Karr, 2003 WSJA President

The Washington State Jail Association worked for many years to “fight for an early retirement.” Rallies were held at the State Capital, several House Bills were sent to legislation, and consultants were used. We seemed to continually hit a wall with the Joint Committee on Pension Policy.

This past year, there were a few changes, and new strategies were used.

Senator Jim Kastama arranged a meeting between the WSJA with a member of the State Actuary (Bob Barker) and a representative from the State Retirement System in Olympia (Note: Senator Kastama was very supportive of corrections work in the Tacoma area. His father was a corrections officer as he grew up as a young boy.) There in Olympia we discussed our issues, concerns and how we could create a totally new retirement system. The State Actuary who originally had their facts wrong about corrections (receiving only DOC information) went to work. We stressed that if they can’t do it for us, create for the younger officers.

The JCPP was also reorganized in 2004 to now include civilians and employee representation. This was a major victory on our part. AFSCME quickly moved a representative into place (J. Pat Thompson) on the behalf of corrections officers. A state representative on the committee (Steve Conway) was a retired police officer. This gave us new strength on that committee.

The House Bill was introduced by Representatives Alexander, Fromholm, Conway, G. Simpson, Moeller, and Chase. 2004 was a “short session” in Olympia, so things needed to transpire quickly.

The State Actuary presented the SCPP their creation of a new retirement system, to be called PERS. Several WSJA members attended and offered testimony to back it. The SCPP elected to form a sub-committee to review the PERS idea. Pat Thompson, Fromholm and Conway were appointed to that committee. Two more public testimony hearings were given.3

The WSJA held an emergency meeting at the state academy, inviting all jails across the state to prepare for the testimony at these hearings. There were issues in regards to being “inclusive” or eligible for the new PSERS that we needed to vote on. Members of the WSJA gave testimony at both hearings. The sub-committee passed the PERS House Bill with their recommendation to move it.

The WSJA contacted all labor organizations that would be affected by this retirement change. By pulling the various jail unions, guilds, and DOC officers together, the WSJA formed a team representing over 7,500 people. Working as separate the numbers were low, together we had strength. This number was impressive. The WSJA President created an internet contact group, that at times got updates hourly. This made the difference. All these thousands of people worked in unity.

The House Bill then went to the SCPP. More meetings were held, and the WSJA members were there to give testimony. Sheriff’s, Chiefs, even other legislators gave testimony on our behalf. The SCPP passed House Bill 2537, and the bill went on to both the House and the Senate.

Within just a few weeks, numerous meetings and hearings were held. The internet group was advised when to make certain moves, and thousands of e-mails, letters and phone messages were sent in to the various legislators.

Here is the chain of events from that point on:

-- 2004 Regular Session --

Jan 15 First reading, referred to Appropriations. (Original Bill) (PDFVersion)

Feb 10 APP - Executive action taken by committee.

APP - Majority; do pass.

Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

Feb 12 Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

Feb 13 Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

Third reading, passed; yeas, 97; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1. (Roll Calls)

-- IN THE SENATE --

Feb 17 First reading, referred to Ways & Means.

Mar 1 WM - Majority; do pass.

Mar 2 Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

Mar 4 Made eligible to be placed on second reading.

Mar 11 Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. (Roll Calls)

-- IN THE HOUSE --

Speaker signed.

GOVERNORS OFFICE-

Governor Gary Locke signed.

The Public Safety Employee Retirement System will take effect in July of 2006. Those that transfer and invest in the new system for ten years can get full retirement at age 60, without penalties, and as early as age 53, with improved/reduced penalties. All new corrections officers hired after July of 2006 will automatically be in the new system. The rest of us will be given a one time opportunity to be grand-fathered in and our past PERS 2 years included. The penalties were reduced from 8% a year to 3% for everyone retiring early with less than 30 years on, and because the age of full retirement dropped 5 years, you will take home more money when you do retire.

Although not perfect, this is a significant improvement to what we had. Members of the WSJA do not get paid for this work, it is all volunteer work. We don’t get mileage, food or lodging for all this travel. Some of us burned over a week of vacation to attend all these hearings, and others traveled across the state numerous times. We did this not for ourselves, but for our fellow officers. Many of us are too old to benefit from this new system. We did it for the WSJA. We did it for our fellow corrections officers.

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