Retired First Responders Sue Washington State over Rights to $3.3B Pension Funds Threatened by LawmakersSeattle-based law firm representing retired firefighters and law enforcement says Wash. lawmakers lack legal standing to syphon retirement funds to solve budget shortfall SEATTLE – Attorneys at Seattle-based Hagens Berman represent a proposed class of thousands of retired police officers and […]
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RFFOW HB2034 Update
March 9, 2026 by Michael Duchemin, President, Retired Firefighters of Washington On February 13th the Washington State House of Representatives passed SHB 2034, the restatement of LEOFF 1 bill with a reversion of pension funds to the State. SHB 2034 was then sent to the Senate Ways & Means Committee, where certain amendments were recommended […]
2034 Lawsuit
After careful review of the legislation, we have obtained legal opinions from several prominent law firms concluding that the bill raises significant constitutional concerns and is likely unlawful. In particular, the legislation impairs vested contractual rights and benefits that have long been protected under Washington law. Based on this legal advice, we have retained Steve […]
HB2034 Passes Legislature
The bill to terminate and restate LEOFF 1 passed the legislature and goes to the Governor. It is imperative that everyone contact the governor’s office and ask him to VETO the bill. Here is how the voting went: HB 2034 – LEOFF 1 restatement3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate3/6/2026Yeas: 25 Nays: […]
HB 2034
This bill passed the House and is now in the Senate. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM on February 26th. We need everybody to respond and notify the Senate that this bill should be rejected. For so many reasons it is wrong. We suspect it will […]
Pension Benefit Payout
Today many of you have received a deposit from DRS that represents the special benefit payout. If you are duty related disability retired, you will note that the payment is short of the amount anticipated. This amount may vary from person to person. As of 10:30 AM, January 13, 2023, we are advised by DRS […]
SSB 5791 | The Next Step
THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON FEBRUARY 24TH TO GIVE SSB 5791 A “DO PASS” RECOMMENDATION THIS MEANS THAT THE BILL NOW GOES TO THE RULES COMMITTEE FOR ANOTHER VOTE. PLEASE SEND EMAILS TO EACH REPRESENTATIVE ON THE RULES COMMITTEE ASKING FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF SSB 5791. The House Appropriations Committee today voted unanimously […]
Senate Bill 5791 | Update
SB 5791 was passed out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee 24 – 0 a unanimous vote. The Committee by a vote 22–2 forwarded the bill to the Rules committee with a recommendation of do pass. We now have to get the bill passed out of the Senate Rules committee to the Senate floor […]
Senate Bills & Hearing
Several pension bills have been introduced. Three of the retirement bills that have been introduced are of particular interest to our members, HB 1701, SB 5652 deal with the LEOFF II Retirement System. The bills increase the service credit allowance. Currently in both LEOFF I and LEOFF II for a service retirement the retired member […]