AN ACT Relating to clarifying that the firefighters’ pension levy may continue to be levied to fund benefits under the law enforcement officers’ and firefighters’ retirement system; and amending RCW 41.16.060. See the bill information.See the bill. This bill will have a hearing on Monday February 18, 2019 at 3:30 pm in the Senate Ways […]
A change to Disability Boards?
The legislature has been in session for about a month and we now have a bill dealing with LEOFF 1 issues. It is HB 2051 and the companion Senate version SB 5920. The bill has bi-partisan support and is drafted to address some concerns that were expressed in the Select Committee meeting. You can view […]
Letter from Del McNeal
Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to the RFFOW discussing the board staffing issue. I see that you are getting ready to discuss the issue of disability boards for LEOFF 1. I am retired from the City of Bremerton as the chief. I am also currently a board member of our disability board. As such […]
A Letter from Dan Downs
Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to the RFFOW dealing with concerns about Disability Board staffing. I appreciate and want to thank you and The Retired Fire Fighters of Washington for your efforts in resolving the problem of staffing pension and disability boards. About three years ago, a group including you and attorney, Joe Fischnaller, […]
A Letter from Ken Crowder
Editor’s Note: This letter was written in response to comments published in a recent LEOFF I Coalition newsletter. Greetings to all LEOFF 1 members. Recently I obtained a copy of the LEOFF 1 Coalition newsletter that I am told was mailed to some LEOFF 1 members. At first glance it appeared that their primary purpose […]
RFFOW President’s Report | February 2019
by Richard Warbrouck President, RFFOW The Select Committee on Pension Policy (SCPP) is a standing legislative interim subcommittee. The committee members are legislators from the House and Senate and members from employee and employer organizations, and retiree groups appointed by the Governor. The committee is empowered to meet during the interim, between legislative sessions to […]
Fixing Initiative 940
It is important for the Legislature to fix initiatives that don’t work as intended, but it is just as important that we follow the law when we do it. This is the real lesson of Initiative 940. This measure, approved by voters last November, imposes new rules on police use of deadly force. More than […]
Cases could open door to pension cuts for California workers
By JONATHAN J. COOPER , Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — For decades in California, a sacrosanct rule has governed public employees’ pensions: Benefits promised can never be taken away. But cases before the state Supreme Court threaten to reverse that premise and open the door to benefit cuts for workers still on the job. […]
SCPP Meeting Report – December 11, 2018
Currently, only active or retired Prior Act, LEOFF 1, and LEOFF 2 firefighters employed by or retired from the city, county, or fire protection district are eligible to be elected to a pension or disability board. Only those covered by the jurisdiction of the board are eligible to vote. Some boards are facing difficulty in […]
Disability Board Issues
The following is from a letter discussing the structure and current problems with Disability Boards. The central problem is that the number of LEOFF 1 members decline it is becoming increasingly difficult for small jurisdictions to find qualified LEOFF 1 active or retired members to serve on the Boards. In the last session of the […]