State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Washington > Title-41 > 41-26 > 41-26-800Local public safety enhancement account — Creation — Distribution — Uses.
The local public safety enhancement account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. All receipts from RCW 41.26.802 must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used as follows:
(1) Following appropriation, fifty percent of the money in the account shall be transferred to the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits improvement account established in RCW 41.26.805.
(2) Following appropriation, the balance shall be distributed by the state treasurer to all jurisdictions with law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 members. Each year, the department of retirement systems will determine each jurisdictions' proportionate share of funds based on the number of plan 2 members each jurisdiction has on June 1st of the prior year divided by the total number of plan 2 members in the system. The department of retirement systems shall provide the distribution allocation to the state treasurer. Distributions by the state treasurer shall be made annually each January 1st with one-half of the appropriation being distributed in the first year of the appropriation and any remainder the following year. If an appropriation is made for a single fiscal year, the entire appropriation shall be distributed the following January 1st. Jurisdictions that contract with other eligible jurisdictions for law enforcement services or fire protection services must agree on the distribution of funds between the contracting parties and must inform the department of retirement systems as to how the distribution is to be made. Distributions will continue to be made under the terms of the agreement until the department of retirement systems is notified by the eligible jurisdiction of any agreement revisions. If there is no agreement within six months of the distribution date, the moneys lapse to the state treasury. Moneys distributed from the balance of the public safety enhancement account may be used for the following purposes: (a) Criminal justice, including those where an ancillary benefit to the civil justice occurs, and includes domestic violence programs; (b) information and assistance to parents and families dealing with at-risk or runaway youth; or (c) public safety. Money distributed from the account shall not supplant existing funds used for these purposes. For purposes of this subsection, "existing funds" means the actual operating expenditures for the calendar year prior to the first distribution from the account. Actual operating expenditures excludes lost federal funds, lost or expired state grants or loans, extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, change in contract provisions beyond the control of the jurisdiction receiving the services, and major capital expenditures.
[2008 c 99 § 2.]
Notes: Findings -- Purpose -- 2008 c 99: "The legislature finds that local governments need additional revenues to provide public safety resources in order to protect the citizens of Washington from fire and crime. The legislature finds that the current benefit formula and contributions for the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 are inadequate to modify that formula in recognition of the shorter working careers for firefighters and police officers. The legislature recognizes that although some officers and firefighters are able to work comfortably beyond twenty-five years, the combat nature of fire suppression and law enforcement generally require earlier retirement ages. In recognition of the physical demands of the professions and the inherent risks faced by law enforcement officers and firefighters, eligibility for retirement in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 system has been set at age fifty-three. However, the benefit formula is designed for careers of thirty-five to forty years, making retirement at age fifty-three an unrealistic option for many.
Therefore, the legislature declares that it is the purpose of this act to provide local government public safety employers and the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 pension plan with additional shared revenues when general state revenues exceed by more than five percent the previous fiscal biennium's revenue." [2008 c 99 § 1.]
