Chapter 407 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 323

Relating to public employee retirement; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 238.005, 238.410, 238.435, 238.462 and 238.660.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

INTEREST ON LUMP SUM PAYMENTS

FOR COMPENSATION OF

TAXATION OF PERS BENEFITS

SECTION 1. Section 2 of this 1999 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 238.

SECTION 2. (1) The Public Employees Retirement Board shall employ all reasonable means during the 60-day period following the effective date of this 1999 Act to locate all persons who are entitled to receive additional benefit amounts under the provisions of section 10 (2), (3) and (4), chapter 569, Oregon Laws 1995. Interest under the provisions of section 10 (5), chapter 569, Oregon Laws 1995, shall cease to accrue on those amounts on the 91st day after the effective date of this 1999 Act.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not affect the claim of any person to interest that accrues under section 10, chapter 569, Oregon Laws 1995, before the 91st day after the effective date of this 1999 Act.

DEFINITION OF FINAL AVERAGE SALARY

SECTION 3. ORS 238.005 is amended to read:

238.005. For purposes of this chapter:

(1) The term "annuity" means payments for life derived from contributions made by a member as provided in this chapter.

(2) The term "calendar year" means 12 calendar months commencing on January 1 and ending on December 31 following.

(3) The term "continuous service" means service not interrupted for more than five years, except that such continuous service shall be computed without regard to interruptions in the case of:

(a) An employee who had returned to the service of the employer as of January 1, 1945, and who remained in that employment until having established membership in the Public Employees Retirement System.

(b) An employee who was in the armed services on January 1, 1945, and returned to the service of the employer within one year of the date of being otherwise than dishonorably discharged and remained in that employment until having established membership in the Public Employees Retirement System.

(4) The term "creditable service" means any period of time during which an active member is being paid a salary by a participating public employer and contributions are being made to the system either by or on behalf of the member. For purposes of computing years of "creditable service," full months and major fractions of a month shall be considered to be one-twelfth of a year and shall be added to all full years. "Creditable service" includes all retirement credit received by a member.

(5) The term "employee" includes, in addition to employees, public officers, but does not include:

(a) Persons engaged as independent contractors.

(b) Seasonal, emergency or casual workers whose periods of employment with any public employer or public employers do not total 600 hours in any calendar year.

(c) Persons, other than workers in the Oregon Industries for the Blind under ORS 346.190, provided sheltered employment or made-work by a public employer in an employment or industries program maintained for the benefit of such persons.

(d) Persons employed and paid from federal funds received under the Emergency Job and Unemployment Assistance Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-567) or any other federal program intended primarily to alleviate unemployment. However, any such person shall be considered an "employee" if not otherwise excluded by paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection and the public employer elects to have the person so considered by an irrevocable written notice to the board.

(e) Persons who are employees of a railroad, as defined in ORS 824.020, and who, as such employees, are included in a retirement plan under federal railroad retirement statutes. This paragraph shall be deemed to have been in effect since the inception of the system.

(6) The term "fiscal year" means 12 calendar months commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30 following.

(7)(a) The term "member" means a person who has established membership in the system and whose membership has not been terminated as described in ORS 238.095. "Member" includes active, inactive and retired members.

(b) "Active member" means a member who is presently employed by a participating public employer in a position that meets the requirements of ORS 238.015 (4), and who has completed the six-month period of service required by ORS 238.015.

(c) "Inactive member" means a member who is absent from the service of all employers participating in the system, whose membership has not been terminated in the manner described by ORS 238.095, and who is not retired for service or disability. "Inactive member" includes a member who would be an active member except that the person's only employment with a participating public employer is in a position that does not meet the requirements of ORS 238.015 (4).

(d) "Retired member" means a member who is retired for service or disability.

(8) The term "pension" means annual payments for life derived from contributions by one or more public employers.

(9) The term "public employer" means the state, one of its agencies, any city, county, municipal or public corporation, any political subdivision of the state or any instrumentality thereof, or an agency created by two or more such political subdivisions to provide themselves governmental services. For purposes of this chapter, such agency created by two or more political subdivisions is a governmental instrumentality and a legal entity with power to enter into contracts, hold property and sue and be sued.

(10) The term "retirement credit" means a period of time that is treated as creditable service for the purposes of this chapter.

(11)(a) The term "salary" means the remuneration paid an employee in cash out of the funds of a public employer in return for services to the employer, plus the monetary value, as determined by the Public Employees Retirement Board, of whatever living quarters, board, lodging, fuel, laundry and other advantages the employer furnishes the employee in return for services.

(b) "Salary" includes but is not limited to:

(A) Payments of employee and employer money into a deferred compensation plan, which are deemed salary paid in each month of deferral;

(B) The amount of participation in a tax-sheltered or deferred annuity, which is deemed salary paid in each month of participation; and

(C) Retroactive payments made to an employee to correct a clerical error or pursuant to an award by a court or by order of or a conciliation agreement with an administration agency charged with enforcing federal or state law protecting the employee's rights to employment or wages, which shall be allocated to and deemed paid in the periods in which the work was done or in which it would have been done.

(c) "Salary" or "other advantages" does not include:

(A) Travel or any other expenses incidental to employer's business which is reimbursed by the employer;

(B) Payments for insurance coverage by an employer on behalf of employee or employee and dependents, for which the employee has no cash option;

(C) Payments made on account of an employee's death;

(D) Any lump sum payment for accumulated unused sick leave;

(E) Any accelerated payment of an employment contract for a future period or an advance against future wages;

(F) Any retirement incentive, retirement severance pay, retirement bonus or retirement gratuitous payment;

(G) Payments for periods of leave of absence after the date the employer and employee have agreed that no future services qualifying pursuant to ORS 238.015 (3) will be performed, except for sick leave and vacation; or

(H) Payments for instructional services rendered to institutions of the Department of Higher Education or the Oregon Health Sciences University when such services are in excess of full-time employment subject to this chapter. A person employed under a contract for less than 12 months is subject to this subparagraph only for the months to which the contract pertains.

(12) The term "volunteer firefighter" means a firefighter whose position normally requires less than 600 hours of service per year.

(13) The term "school year" means the period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 next following.

(14) The term "police officer" includes:

(a) Employees of institutions defined in ORS 421.005 as Department of Corrections institutions, whose duties, as assigned by the director, include the custody of persons committed to the custody of or transferred to the Department of Corrections and any other employee of the Department of Corrections who was classified as a police officer on or before July 27, 1989, whether or not such classification was authorized by law.

(b) Employees of the Department of State Police who are classified as police officers by the Superintendent of State Police.

(c) Employees of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission who are classified as enforcement officers by the administrator of the commission.

(d) Sheriffs and those deputy sheriffs or other employees of a sheriff whose duties, as classified by the sheriff, are the regular duties of police officers or corrections officers.

(e) Police chiefs and police personnel of a city who are classified as police officers by the council or other governing body of the city.

(f) Parole and probation officers employed by the Department of Corrections and parole and probation officers who are transferred to county employment under ORS 423.549.

(g) Police officers appointed under ORS 276.021 or 276.023.

(h) Employees of the Port of Portland who are classified as airport police by the Board of Commissioners of the Port of Portland.

(i) Employees of the State Department of Agriculture who are classified as livestock police officers by the Director of Agriculture.

(j) Employees of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training who are classified by the department as other than secretarial or clerical personnel.

(k) Investigators of the Criminal Justice Division of the Department of Justice.

(L) Corrections officers as defined in ORS 181.610.

(m) Employees of the Oregon State Lottery Commission who are classified by the Director of the Oregon State Lottery as enforcement agents pursuant to ORS 461.110.

(n) The Director of the Department of Corrections.

(o) An employee who for seven consecutive years has been classified as a police officer as defined by this section, and who is employed or transferred by the Department of Corrections to fill a position designated by the director as being eligible for police officer status.

(p) An employee of the Department of Corrections classified as a police officer on or prior to July 27, 1989, whether or not that classification was authorized by law, so long as the employee remains in the position held on July 27, 1989. The initial classification of an employee under a system implemented pursuant to ORS 240.190 will not affect police officer status.

(q) Employees of a school district who are appointed and duly sworn members of a law enforcement agency of the district as provided in ORS 332.531 or otherwise employed full time as police officers commissioned by the district.

(r) Employees at the MacLaren School, Hillcrest School of Oregon and other youth correction facilities and juvenile detention facilities under ORS 419A.050, 419A.052 and 420.005 to 420.915, who are required to hold valid Oregon teaching licenses and who have supervisory, control or teaching responsibilities over juveniles committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections or the Oregon Youth Authority.

(s) Employees at youth correction facilities as defined in ORS 420.005 whose primary job description involves the custody, control, treatment, investigation or supervision of juveniles placed in such facilities.

(t) Employees of the Oregon Youth Authority who are classified as juvenile parole and probation officers.

(15) The term "final average salary" means whichever of the following is greater:

(a) The average salary per calendar year paid by [a public employer] one or more participating public employers to an employee who is an active member of the system in three of the calendar years of membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee, in which three years the employee was paid the highest salary[; or]. The three calendar years in which the employee was paid the largest total salary may include calendar years in which the employee was employed for less than a full calendar year. If the number of calendar years of active membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee is three or less, the final average salary for the employee is the average salary per calendar year paid by one or more participating public employers to the employee in all of those years, without regard to whether the employee was employed for the full calendar year.

(b) One-third of the total salary paid by a participating public employer to an employee who is an active member of the system in the last 36 calendar months of active membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee.

(16) The term "firefighter" does not include a volunteer firefighter as defined in subsection (12) of this section, but does include the State Fire Marshal, the chief deputy fire marshal and deputy state fire marshals.

(17) "Earliest service retirement age" means the age attained by a member when the member could first make application for retirement under the provisions of ORS 238.280.

(18) The term "normal retirement age" means:

(a) For a person who establishes membership in the system before January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, 55 years of age if the employee retires at that age as a police officer or firefighter or 58 years of age if the employee retires at that age as other than a police officer or firefighter.

(b) For a person who establishes membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, 55 years of age if the employee retires at that age as a police officer or firefighter or 60 years of age if the employee retires at that age as other than a police officer or firefighter.

SECTION 4. ORS 238.435 is amended to read:

238.435. (1) Notwithstanding the definition of "salary" or "other advantages" provided by ORS 238.005, for the purpose of calculating the retirement allowance of a person who establishes membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, the Public Employees Retirement Board shall not include any lump sum payment for accrued vacation pay made to the member during the last 36 calendar months of membership before the effective date of retirement of the member, or during any period of time taken into account for purposes of determining the three years in which the member was paid the highest salary for the purposes of determining the member's final average salary.

(2) Notwithstanding the definition of "final average salary" provided by ORS 238.005, for the purpose of calculating the retirement allowance of a person who establishes membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, the term "final average salary" means whichever of the following is greater:

(a) The average salary per calendar year earned by a public employee who is an active member of the system in three of the calendar years of membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee, in which three years the employee was paid the highest salary[; or]. The three calendar years in which the employee earned the largest total salary may include calendar years in which the employee was employed for less than a full calendar year. If the number of calendar years of active membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee is three or less, the final average salary for the employee is the average salary per calendar year earned by the public employee in all of those years, without regard to whether the employee was employed for full calendar years.

(b) One-third of the total salary earned by a public employee who is an active member of the system in the last 36 calendar months of membership before the effective date of retirement of the employee.

(3) The normal retirement age is 60 years of age for a member who establishes membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, and who retires as other than a police officer or firefighter.

(4) ORS 238.255 does not apply to any person who establishes membership in the Public Employees Retirement System on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for the purpose of calculating a monthly disability retirement allowance payable to a member who establishes membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430, the sum of the monthly amount of the disability retirement allowance and of any monthly payment on account of temporary total disability or permanent total disability under the provisions of ORS chapter 656 may not exceed the member's monthly salary, determined as of the date the member becomes disabled. The board shall reduce any disability retirement allowance payable under this chapter in the amount determined to be necessary by the board to meet the limitation imposed by this subsection.

(6) Except as provided in this section, all provisions of this chapter are applicable to persons who establish membership in the system on or after January 1, 1996, as described in ORS 238.430.

SPOUSAL CONSENT TO FORM

OF RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE

SECTION 5. ORS 238.462 is amended to read:

238.462. (1) A member of the Public Employees Retirement System who is married on the effective date of member's retirement shall receive a service retirement allowance in the form provided for in Option 3 under ORS 238.305 (1) or a disability retirement allowance in the form provided for in Option 3 under ORS 238.325 (1) unless the member provides proof of spousal consent to receiving an allowance in the form provided by ORS 238.300 or 238.320, or in one of the optional forms provided for in ORS 238.305 and 238.325 other than Option 3.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a member of the [Public Employees Retirement] system who is married on the effective date of the member's retirement may not change the form in which a retirement allowance is paid after an election has been made as to the form of the retirement allowance unless the member provides proof of spousal consent.

(3) A member of the system who is married on the effective date of the member's retirement is not required to provide spousal consent to a change in the form in which a retirement allowance is paid if the spouse of the member dies after the effective date of the member's retirement or disability and the change in the form of the allowance is made within the time periods provided by ORS 238.305 and 238.325. A member seeking to change the form of a retirement allowance without spousal consent under the provisions of this subsection must provide a notarized statement to the Public Employees Retirement Board that certifies to the board that the spouse of the member is deceased.

[(3)] (4) Any member of the system who is not married on the effective date of the member's retirement must provide a notarized statement to the Public Employees Retirement Board that certifies to the board that the member is not married. No retirement allowance may be paid to a member of the system who is not married until the statement required by this subsection is provided to the board.

[(4)] (5) A member of the system who is married on the effective date of the member's retirement must provide proof of spousal consent for the purposes of this section by submitting a statement to the board that:

(a) Contains the notarized signature of the member's spouse;

(b) Indicates the form in which the retirement allowance is to be paid; and

(c) Contains a statement that the member's spouse consents to the payment of the retirement allowance in the specified form.

[(5)] (6) If a member of the system who is married on the effective date of the member's retirement fails to provide proof of spousal consent as required by this section, the board shall calculate and pay to the member a retirement allowance in the form provided for in Option 3 under ORS 238.305 (1) if the retirement is for service, or a retirement allowance in the form provided for in Option 3 under ORS 238.325 (1) if the retirement is for disability. The allowance will be calculated based on the ages of the member and the spouse, and the spouse will be designated as the beneficiary for any survivor benefits that may thereafter become payable.

[(6)] (7) Proof of spousal consent under this section is not required for, and cannot alter, the designation of any form of a retirement allowance that is required under the terms of any court decree of annulment or dissolution of marriage or of separation, or the terms of any court order or court-approved property settlement agreement incident to any court decree of annulment or dissolution of marriage or of separation, that has been received by the board in compliance with the requirements prescribed by ORS 238.465.

USE OF CHECKS, WARRANTS

AND ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS

SECTION 6. ORS 238.660 is amended to read:

238.660. (1) The Public Employees Retirement Fund is declared to be a trust fund, separate and distinct from the General Fund, for the uses and purposes set forth in this chapter and ORS 237.950 to 237.980, and for no other use or purpose, except that this provision shall not be deemed to amend or impair the force or effect of any law of this state specifically authorizing the investment of moneys from the fund. Interest earned by the fund shall be credited to the fund. Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, the Public Employees Retirement Board established by ORS 238.630 is declared to be the trustee of the fund.

(2) The State of Oregon and other public employers that make contributions to the fund have no proprietary interest in the fund or in the contributions made to the fund by them. The state and other public employers disclaim any right to reclaim those contributions and waive any right of reclamation they may have in the fund. This subsection does not prohibit alteration or refund of employer contributions if the alteration or refund is authorized under this chapter and is due to erroneous payment or decreased liability for employer contributions under the system.

(3) The board may accept gifts of money or other property from any source, given for the uses and purposes of the system. Money so received shall be paid into the fund. Money or other property so received shall be used for the purposes for which received. Unless otherwise prescribed by the source from which the money or other property is received, the money shall be considered as income of the fund and the other property shall be retained, managed and disposed of as are investments of the fund.

(4) All moneys paid into the fund shall be deposited with the State Treasurer, who shall be custodian of the fund and pay all warrants drawn on it in compliance with law. No such warrant shall be paid until the claim for which it is drawn is first approved by the director or designee and otherwise audited and verified as required by law. Monthly, each beneficiary's gross benefit shall be calculated; applicable deductions made for taxes, insurance and other withholdings; and the net amount paid to the beneficiary, by check or by electronic funds transfer (EFT) to the beneficiary's bank. A deduction summary shall be made, by type, and a check issued for the aggregate of each type for transmittal to the appropriate taxing jurisdiction, vendor or institution. A voucher shall be prepared and transmitted to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for reimbursement of the checking account, and the department shall draw a warrant on the State Treasurer, payable to the Public Employees Retirement System, for the amount thereof.

(5) Any warrant, check or order for the payment of benefits or refunds under the system out of the fund issued by the board which is canceled, declared void or otherwise made unpayable pursuant to law because it is outstanding and unpaid for a period of more than two years, may be reissued by the board without bond if the payee is located after such warrant, check or order is canceled, declared void or otherwise made unpayable pursuant to law.

(6) All references in this chapter to checks or warrants are subject to the provisions of ORS 291.001 (1).

[(6)] (7) The board shall provide for an annual audit of the retirement fund and for an annual report to the Legislative Assembly and to all members of, retirees of, and all employers participating in, the system. The annual report must contain financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The financial statements must include the report of any independent auditor.

USE OF INSURANCE PROVIDERS LICENSED IN OTHER STATES

SECTION 7. ORS 238.410 is amended to read:

238.410. (1) As used in this section:

(a) "Carrier" means an insurance company or health care service contractor holding a valid certificate of authority from the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, an insurance company or health care service contractor licensed or certified in another state that is operating under the laws of that state, or two or more of those companies or contractors acting together pursuant to a joint venture, partnership or other joint means of operation.

(b) "Eligible person" means:

(A) A member of the Public Employees Retirement System who is retired for service or disability and is receiving a retirement allowance or benefit under the system, and a spouse or dependent of that member;

(B) A person who is a surviving spouse or dependent of a deceased retired member of the system or the surviving spouse or dependent of a member of the system who had not retired but who had reached earliest retirement age at the time of death;

(C) A person who is receiving retirement pay or a pension calculated under ORS 1.314 to 1.380 (1989 Edition), and a spouse or dependent of that person; or

(D) A surviving spouse or dependent of a deceased retired member of the system or of a person who was receiving retirement pay or a pension calculated under ORS 1.314 to 1.380 (1989 Edition) if the surviving spouse or dependent was covered at the time of the decedent's death by a health care insurance plan contracted for under this section.

(c) "Health care" means medical, surgical, hospital or any other remedial care recognized by state law and related services and supplies and includes comparable benefits for persons who rely on spiritual means of healing.

(2) The Public Employees Retirement Board shall conduct a continuing study and investigation of all matters connected with the providing of health care insurance protection to eligible persons. The board shall design benefits, devise specifications, invite proposals, analyze carrier responses to advertisements for proposals and do acts necessary to award contracts to provide health care insurance, including insurance that provides coverage supplemental to federal Medicare coverage, with emphasis on features based on health care cost containment principles, for eligible persons. The board is not subject to the provisions of ORS 279.005 to 279.111 in awarding contracts under the provisions of this section. The board shall establish procedures for inviting proposals and awarding contracts under this section.

(3) The board shall enter into a contract with a carrier to provide health care insurance for eligible persons for a one or two-year period. The board may enter into more than one contract with one or more carriers, contracting jointly or severally, if in the opinion of the board it is necessary to do so to obtain maximum coverage at minimum cost and consistent with the health care insurance needs of eligible persons. The board periodically shall review a current contract or contracts and make suitable study and investigation for the purpose of determining whether a different contract or contracts can and should, in the best interest of eligible persons, be entered into. If it would be advantageous to eligible persons to do so, the board shall enter into a different contract or contracts. Contracts shall be signed by the chairperson on behalf of the board.

(4) Except as provided in ORS 238.415 and 238.420, the board may deduct monthly from the retirement allowance or benefit, retirement pay or pension payable to an eligible person who elects to participate in a health care insurance plan the monthly cost of the coverage for the person under a health care insurance contract entered into under this section and the administrative costs incurred by the board under this section, and shall pay the amount due to the carrier providing the coverage. The board by rule may establish other procedures for collecting the monthly cost of the coverage and the administrative costs incurred by the board under this section if the board does not deduct those costs from the retirement allowance or benefit, retirement pay or pension payable to an eligible person.

(5) Subject to applicable provisions of ORS 183.310 to 183.550, the board may make rules not inconsistent with this section to determine the terms and conditions of eligible person participation and coverage and otherwise to implement and carry out the purposes and provisions of this section and ORS 238.420.

(6) The board may retain consultants, brokers or other advisory personnel, organizations specializing in health care cost containment or other administrative services when it determines the necessity and, subject to the State Personnel Relations Law, shall employ such personnel as are required to assist in performing the functions of the board under this section.

SECTION 8. (1) The amendments to ORS 238.005 and 238.435 by sections 3 and 4 of this 1999 Act apply to all members of the Public Employees Retirement System, whether they retire before, on or after the effective date of this 1999 Act.

(2) The amendments to ORS 238.462 by section 5 of this 1999 Act apply only to members of the Public Employees Retirement System who retire on or after the effective date of this 1999 Act.

SECTION 9. The unit captions used in this 1999 Act are provided only for convenience in locating provisions of this 1999 Act and do not become part of the statutory law of this state or express any legislative intent in the enactment of this 1999 Act.

Approved by the Governor June 29, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 30, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

__________