2000 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 510 – PERSI/extraordinary gains/allocatn

HOUSE BILL NO. 510

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H0510.......................................by COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM - Adds to and amends existing law to
provide for the allocation of extraordinary gains of the retirement fund to
retirees, active members and employers; to define "extraordinary gains"; to
provide for allocations between retirees, active members and employers; to
provide the manner and timing of the allocations; to provide for
allocations to active members and eligibility to receive allocations; to
provide the formula for and timing of allocations to active members; to
provide for allocations to employers as a credit against future
contributions; to provide the formula for employer credit against future
contributions; to provide the formula for employer allocations and
application of credits; to provide for carryover of unused credits; to
provide for supplemental benefit plan accounts for active members eligible
to receive extraordinary gains transfers; and to provide for members'
additional voluntary contributions to their accounts.
                                                                        
02/04    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/07    Rpt prt - to Com/HuRes
02/10    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/11    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/15    3rd rdg - PASSED - 69-0-1
      AYES -- Alltus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bell, Bieter, Black, Boe,
      Bruneel, Callister, Campbell, Chase, Cheirrett, Clark, Crow, Cuddy,
      Deal, Denney, Ellsworth, Field(13), Field(20), Gagner, Geddes, Gould,
      Hadley, Hammond, Hansen(23), Hansen(29), Henbest, Jaquet, Jones,
      Judd, Kellogg, Kempton, Kendell, Kunz, Lake, Linford, Loertscher,
      Mader, Marley, McKague, Meyer, Montgomery, Mortensen, Moss, Moyle,
      Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy, Reynolds, Ridinger, Ringo, Robison, Sali,
      Schaefer, Sellman, Shepherd, Smith, Smylie, Stevenson, Stoicheff,
      Stone, Taylor, Tilman, Trail(Miller), Wheeler, Wood, Zimmermann, Mr
      Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Hornbeck
    Floor Sponsor - Lake
    Title apvd - to Senate
02/16    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Com/HuRes
03/08    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/09    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/28    3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Boatright, Branch, Bunderson, Burtenshaw, Cameron,
      Crow, Danielson, Darrington, Davis, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure, Geddes,
      Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King-Barrutia, Lee, McLaughlin, Noh,
      Parry, Richardson, Riggs, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sorensen, Stegner,
      Stennett, Thorne, Wheeler, Whitworth, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Cameron
    Title apvd - to House
03/29    To enrol
03/30    Rpt enrol - Sp signed - Pres signed
03/31    To Governor
04/05    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 208
         Effective: 04/05/00 with delayed implementation under specified
                   circumstances at discretion of Retirement Board

Bill Text


 H0510
                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-fifth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2000
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 510
                                                                        
                         BY COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AMENDING  SECTION  59-1308,
  3        IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE FOR ONE OR MORE SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLANS TO BE
  4        USED FOR ALLOCATION OF EXTRAORDINARY GAINS OF THE RETIREMENT FUND AND VOL-
  5        UNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF ACTIVE MEMBERS, TO PROVIDE  FOR  ESTABLISHMENT  OF
  6        TAX-DEFERRED PLANS AND FOR STAFF AND CONSULTANTS TO ADMINISTER SUCH PLANS,
  7        TO  PROVIDE  FOR INVESTMENT OPTIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNI-
  8        TIES RELATED TO SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLANS AND RETIREMENT SAVINGS, TO PRO-
  9        VIDE FOR ACTIVE MEMBER ACCOUNTS FOR EXTRAORDINARY GAINS TRANSFERS AND VOL-
 10        UNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR COORDINATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS BETWEEN
 11        MULTIPLE PLANS, TO PROVIDE DUTIES OF THE EMPLOYER,  TO  EXEMPT  INVESTMENT
 12        RELATED  EXPENSES FROM APPROPRIATION, TO PROVIDE FOR DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
 13        HELD IN SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNTS, TO PROVIDE THAT FUNDS  ACCRUED
 14        IN  A  SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNT SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN DETER-
 15        MINING ANY OTHER RETIREMENT BENEFITS, TO PROVIDE FOR  CONFIDENTIALITY  AND
 16        INALIENABILITY  OF SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLANS, TO PROVIDE THAT A COURT-OR-
 17        DERED ASSIGNMENT OF ALL OR PART OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN ACCOUNT  TO
 18        A PARTICIPANT'S SPOUSE OR FORMER SPOUSE SHALL BE DISTINCT FROM AN APPROVED
 19        DOMESTIC  RETIREMENT  ORDER  AND  TO  MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS; AMENDING
 20        CHAPTER 13, TITLE 59, IDAHO  CODE,  BY  THE  ADDITION  OF  A  NEW  SECTION
 21        59-1309,  IDAHO  CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR ALLOCATION OF EXTRAORDINARY GAINS TO
 22        RETIREES, ACTIVE MEMBERS AND EMPLOYERS, TO DEFINE EXTRAORDINARY GAINS,  TO
 23        PROVIDE FOR ALLOCATIONS BETWEEN RETIREES, ACTIVE MEMBERS AND EMPLOYERS, TO
 24        PROVIDE  THE  MANNER  AND  TIMING  OF  ALLOCATIONS  TO RETIREES, TO DEFINE
 25        RETIREES, TO PROVIDE THE FORMULA FOR THE RETIREE  ALLOCATION,  TO  PROVIDE
 26        FOR  ALLOCATIONS TO ACTIVE MEMBERS AND ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ALLOCATIONS,
 27        TO PROVIDE THE FORMULA FOR AND TIMING OF ALLOCATIONS TO ACTIVE MEMBERS, TO
 28        PROVIDE FOR ALLOCATIONS TO EMPLOYERS AS A CREDIT AGAINST FUTURE  CONTRIBU-
 29        TIONS,  TO PROVIDE THE FORMULA FOR EMPLOYER ALLOCATIONS AND APPLICATION OF
 30        CREDITS AND TO PROVIDE FOR CARRY OVER  OF  UNUSED  CREDITS;  DECLARING  AN
 31        EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING FOR DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION UNDER SPECIFIED CIRCUM-
 32        STANCES.
                                                                        
 33    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 34        SECTION  1.  That  Section 59-1308, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 35    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 36        59-1308.  SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN ESTABLISHED AND FUND CREATED  --  CON-
 37    TRIBUTIONS  AND  EXPENSES OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT PLAN -- INDEMNIFICATION.
 38    (1) As of January 1, 1995, tThe state shall sponsor and the board shall admin-
 39    ister a one (1) or more supplemental benefit plans to be used  for  allocation
 40    of  extraordinary  gains  as  provided in section 59-1309, Idaho Code, and for
 41    voluntary contributions of active  members.  The  supplemental  plans  may  be
 42    established under the qualified requirements of section 401(a) of the Internal
 43    Revenue  Service  Code  and  with  the qualified cash or deferred arrangements
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Service Code or  any  other  tax-
  2    deferred  plan  permitted  by  law, as determined by the retirement board. The
  3    board is authorized to secure such  qualified  staff  and  consultants  as  it
  4    determines  necessary  to  establish  and  administer such plans. Employee and
  5    employer contributions shall be permitted according to the provisions of  this
  6    these  plans  as  established  by  the  board.  For  purposes  of this section
  7    "employee" shall mean a participant as defined  in  the  supplemental  benefit
  8    plan documents or board rules.
  9        (2)  The  board  is  authorized, but not required, to establish a separate
 10    trust funds to hold the assets of the supplemental benefit plans created under
 11    this section. The investment  options  available  under  supplemental  benefit
 12    plans  shall  be determined by the board, and may include, but are not limited
 13    to, investment in all or part of the public employee retirement fund  and  use
 14    of private vendor options.
 15        (3)  The  sSupplemental  benefit plans shall be available to employees all
 16    active members and shall be  in  addition  to  any  other  retirement  or  tax
 17    deferred  compensation  system established by the employer. The board may pro-
 18    vide educational opportunities  related  to  supplemental  benefit  plans  and
 19    retirement savings, as determined by the board.
 20        (4)  An employee may participate in the supplemental benefit plan Accounts
 21    shall be established in supplemental benefit plans for all active members eli-
 22    gible  for  an extraordinary gains transfer under section 59-1309, Idaho Code.
 23    After receiving an extraordinary gains transfer, an  active  member  may  make
 24    additional  voluntary  contributions to his/her account, subject to applicable
 25    limitations, by authorizing his/her employer to contribute an amount  by  pay-
 26    roll  deduction  to  the  supplemental  benefit plan in lieu of receiving such
 27    amount as salary. The amount of such contributions shall  be  subject  to  any
 28    limitations established by the board, state or federal law. The employer shall
 29    provide  coordination  of  contributions between multiple plans to assure that
 30    contribution limits are not exceeded. Should aggregate contributions to multi-
 31    ple plans exceed applicable limits, excess contributions shall  be  deemed  to
 32    apply exclusively to plans not created by this chapter.  In the event a preex-
 33    isting  plan  is used as a supplemental plan, voluntary contributions may con-
 34    tinue to be made to that plan  despite  the  absence  of  extraordinary  gains
 35    transfers.
 36        (5)  For  the  purposes of this section the employer is authorized to make
 37    such deductions from salary for any employee who has  authorized  such  deduc-
 38    tions in writing. The employer shall forward all contributions under this sec-
 39    tion  to the trustee of the supplemental benefit plan board by the fifth work-
 40    ing day after each payroll, in addition to reports as directed by  the  board.
 41    Any  costs  incurred  by  the  board,  whether  direct  or indirect, due to an
 42    employer's failure to properly withhold, transfer, limit and report  contribu-
 43    tions,  shall  be  the responsibility of the employer and shall be immediately
 44    due and payable upon notice from the board. This includes, but is not  limited
 45    to,  costs  associated  with  plan corrections. Such costs shall be treated as
 46    delinquent contributions under section 59-1325, Idaho Code.
 47        (6)  The board may enter into agreements with employers or require partic-
 48    ipation to implement a the supplemental benefit plans and the board may desig-
 49    nate administrative agents to execute all necessary agreements  pertaining  to
 50    the supplemental benefit plans.
 51        (7)  All contributions received from participants in the supplemental ben-
 52    efit plans shall be deposited with a trustee designated by the board. All such
 53    funds  are hereby perpetually appropriated to the board, shall not be included
 54    in the department's budget, and may be invested or used to pay for  investment
 55    and  administrative  expenses of the supplemental benefit plans. Inactive mem-
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1    bers may be required to transfer supplemental benefit plan account balances as
  2    determined by the board.
  3        (8)  The board may establish rules to implement and administer  this  sec-
  4    tion supplemental benefit plans. Costs of administration shall be appropriated
  5    by  the  legislature  and  may be paid from the interest earnings of the funds
  6    accrued as a result of the deposits or as an assessment against each  account,
  7    to be decided by the board. Investment related expenses are exempt from appro-
  8    priation.
  9        (9)  Contributions  and investment earnings under the supplemental benefit
 10    plans in addition to investment earnings, shall be  exempt  from  federal  and
 11    state income taxes until the ultimate distribution of such contributions. Dis-
 12    tributions  of funds held in supplemental benefit plan accounts are subject to
 13    federal law limitations. The board may  provide  for  retirement  disbursement
 14    options other than lump sum payments.
 15        (10) All  additional contributions made by the employee under this section
 16    shall continue to be included as regular compensation for the purpose of  com-
 17    puting the employer and employee retirement contributions and pension benefits
 18    earned  by  an employee under this chapter, but such sum shall not be included
 19    in the computation of any income taxes withheld on  behalf  of  any  employee.
 20    However,  funds  accrued  in  a supplemental benefit plan account shall not be
 21    considered in determining any other benefits under this chapter.
 22        (11) The provisions of sections 59-1316 and 59-1317(1), (2) and (5), Idaho
 23    Code, shall also apply to the supplemental benefit plans  created  under  this
 24    section.  Should  a  court order that an assignment be made to a participant's
 25    spouse or former spouse of all or part of an account created under  this  sec-
 26    tion, the assignment shall be separate and distinct from any approved domestic
 27    retirement order required by section 59-1317(4), Idaho Code.  Requirements for
 28    assignments  of  supplemental  accounts may be set forth in rule or other plan
 29    documents.
 30        (112) Members of the retirement board or retirement system staff,  jointly
 31    or  individually,  shall  be  indemnified from all claims, demands, judgments,
 32    costs, charges and expenses, including court costs and  attorney's  fees,  and
 33    against  all  liability  losses  and damages of any nature whatsoever that the
 34    retirement board or retirement system staff shall or may at any  time  sustain
 35    by  reason  of  any  decision made in the scope or performance of their duties
 36    pursuant to the provisions of this section, except as may  result  from  their
 37    willful  and  intentional  malfeasance.  The venue of all actions in which the
 38    retirement board or retirement staff is a party shall be in Ada county, Idaho.
                                                                        
 39        SECTION 2.  That Chapter 13, Title 59, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 40    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 41    ignated as Section 59-1309, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 42        59-1309.  ALLOCATION OF EXTRAORDINARY GAINS. (1) At the close of each fis-
 43    cal year, the board shall determine whether the fund has experienced  extraor-
 44    dinary gains.  If extraordinary gains exist the board may allocate all or part
 45    of  them  as  set forth in this section.  In determining whether extraordinary
 46    gains should be allocated, the board shall exercise its fiduciary discretion.
 47        (2)  Extraordinary gains are defined as the excess, if any, at  the  close
 48    of  the  fiscal year of plan assets over the plan's accrued actuarially deter-
 49    mined liabilities plus a sum necessary to absorb a one (1) standard  deviation
 50    market  event  without  increasing  contribution  rates,  as determined by the
 51    board.
 52        (3)  If the board determines that extraordinary gains should be allocated,
 53    the gains shall be allocated to retirees, to active members, and to  employers
                                                                        
                                           4
                                                                        
  1    in  such  proportion as determined by the board.  The board shall determine no
  2    later than the first day of December following the close of  the  fiscal  year
  3    the amount of extraordinary gains to be allocated, if any.
  4        (4)  Retirees  shall  receive  their  allocation in the form of a one-time
  5    payment made in addition to their regular monthly benefit payments.  For  pur-
  6    poses of this section, "retirees" include retired members, members receiving a
  7    disability  retirement allowance, contingent annuitants, and surviving spouses
  8    who elected the annuity option under section 59-1361(5), Idaho Code.  To  par-
  9    ticipate  in  the  retiree  allocation, a retiree must be receiving  a regular
 10    monthly allowance at the close of the fiscal year and on the date of distribu-
 11    tion.  The retiree allocation shall be distributed proportionally based on the
 12    final monthly retirement allowance of the fiscal year divided by the total  of
 13    all  monthly  retirement allowances paid for the same month.  The date of dis-
 14    tribution shall be no later than the first day of February following the close
 15    of the fiscal year.
 16        (5)  Active members shall receive their allocation as a transfer of  funds
 17    to  a  supplemental retirement account established by the board.  Funds trans-
 18    ferred to or held in supplemental retirement accounts shall be  accounted  for
 19    separately and shall not be considered in determining any other benefits under
 20    this chapter.  To participate in the active member allocation, the member must
 21    have been an active member on the last day of the fiscal year and have accrued
 22    at  least twelve (12) months of service on that date. Any member who has with-
 23    drawn contributions from the fund prior to the date of transfer is not  eligi-
 24    ble  to  receive  a  transfer under this section. The active member allocation
 25    shall be distributed proportionally based on accumulated contributions at  the
 26    close of the fiscal year divided by the total accumulated contributions of all
 27    active  members at the close of the fiscal year, not to exceed the amount that
 28    would result by applying the limits imposed by rule or by section 415(c)(1) of
 29    the Internal Revenue Code to compensation earned during the fiscal year.   The
 30    transfer of funds shall occur in the following calendar year but shall be sub-
 31    ject  to  reduction and forfeiture, based on the application of limits imposed
 32    by rule or by section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code for that year.
 33        (6)  Employers shall receive their allocation as a credit  against  future
 34    contributions required by section 59-1325, Idaho Code.  Credits are not avail-
 35    able to any employer who has withdrawn from participation in the fund prior to
 36    the  transfer  date.  The employer allocation shall be credited proportionally
 37    based on employer contribution liability accrued during  the  fiscal  year  as
 38    provided in section 59-1322, Idaho Code, divided by the total employer contri-
 39    bution  liability  for  the  fiscal year.  The credits shall be established no
 40    later than the first day of February following the close of the  fiscal  year.
 41    The credits shall be applied thereafter in the same manner as provided in sec-
 42    tion  59-1325,  Idaho  Code, until exhausted.  If, after twelve (12) months of
 43    remittances, an employer's credits have not been exhausted, and  the  employer
 44    has  not  withdrawn from participation in the fund, the value of the remaining
 45    credits shall carry over to the next year, together with an  interest  payment
 46    equal to regular interest on the remaining credits.
                                                                        
 47        SECTION  3.  An  emergency  existing  therefor,  which emergency is hereby
 48    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
 49    passage and approval; provided however, that the retirement  board  may  delay
 50    implementation of any or all of these provisions to obtain assurances concern-
 51    ing federal income tax treatment of contributions and distributions or to com-
 52    plete system changes necessary to accurate and complete implementation of this
 53    act.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                           RS 09759C1
This bill enacts two of the recommendations of the legislative
interim committee charged with reviewing retirement benefits of
state and other public employees.  First, it provides for the
distribution of extraordinary investment gains earned by the
Public Employee Retirement System Fund that are not required to
fund the accrued actuarial liability of the system's defined
benefit plan plus a rate stabilization reserve.  It authorizes
the Public Employee Retirement System to distribute extraordinary
gains to three groups:  employers, retirees and active members. 
Second, the bill is intended to establish and administer one or
more defined contribution plans within the PERSI plan, providing
a vehicle for active members to receive their share of the
extraordinary investment gains and to make voluntary
contributions to supplement their retirement savings.

This bill provides distribution of excess investment gains to
active members by a supplemental Defined Contribution (DC)
retirement plan to be administered within the existing PERSI
organization for the more than 60,000 active members of PERSI. 
The distributions of excess gains also involves 22,000 retirees
and more than 600 employer units.  The distributions to the DC
plan from the gains sharing program (without considering interest
and employee voluntary contributions) could reach over $1 billion
in ten years.
                                
                         FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact to the general fund.  The costs to
PERSI of implementing this bill are projected to be:
     FY 2000 Supplemental          $96,200
     FY 2001                       $1,658,400
     FY 2002                       $1,279,500
     FY 2003                       $1,195,100
     On-going                      $1,189,900
The first year, which is the most expensive, is projected to
equate to 0.75% of assets with the third year projected to be
0.23% of assets.  The State Controllers Office estimates an
additional impact of $200,00 in FY 2001 for one-time programming
costs for the EIS modifications.  The portfolio expenses will be
paid from the total PERSI funds like all PERSI portfolio
expenses.

Contact
Name:  Representative Dennis Lake  
Phone: 332-1165


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                            H 510