The items listed here were developed for the LEOFF 1 Medical Benefits Study Group by the DRS.  I have added some additional comments about each of these bills.

The first item is not really a raid but rather a correction of previous legislation that excluded LEOFF 1 members from coverage under the HCA program.

1992 — Engrossed House Bill 2813 (Ch. 199)

The bill removed the exclusion that barred LEOFF members from participating in insurance programs managed by the Health Care Authority (HCA). When HCA was created, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions of the state could elect to participate in their programs with the exception of LEOFF members. The change appears to have been made in recognition of the ongoing difficulty of obtaining affordable health care coverage for LEOFF members.

(Webmaster - This bill passed in 1992. Government agencies or jurisdiction that participate in the HCA insurance program can extend the coverage to LEOFF 1 members. This provided a tool whereby the local jurisdictions could find some assistance in meeting their LEOFF 1 medical obligations. Many jurisdictions do not participate in the HCA program.)

2000 — Senate Bill 6792

The bill would have declared legislative intent to allocate at least $50 million of the LEOFF Plan 1 surplus for extraordinary medical expenses, subject to any legal restrictions and only if the December 1999 actuarial valuation study indicated that the system had at least $500 million in surplus assets. It also called for a review of the long-term options for funding a portion of the LEOFF Plan 1 medical expenses from the LEOFF Plan 1 trust fund. The review would have included input from a LEOFF advisory workgroup and would have recommended statutory guidelines for the payment of these extraordinary medical expenses, to be adopted in the 2001 legislative session.

(Webmaster - This bill failed to pass.  However it is significant in that it is one of the first attempts to grab money out of the LEOFF 1 Pension Trust Fund.  Since this was presented prior to the organization of the LEOFF 1 community, we are not aware of what was done to defeat it.  Thankfully someone did.  If anyone can provide some more information, be sure to add a comment with the details.)

2001 — House Bill 1072/Senate Bill 5191

This bill would have created a LEOFF Plan 1 retiree health insurance risk pool and medical account to help reimburse employers for certain retiree medical costs, including long-term care. The medical account would have been a sub-account within the LEOFF Plan 1 retirement account. Funding for the risk pool account would have come from three sources: employer premiums, funds transferred from the LEOFF Plan 1 Medical Account and investment earnings.

(Webmaster - This bill failed to pass.  It was the first challenge for the organized LEOFF 1 community.  While all sorts of groups will claim credit for killing the bill, it was really a co-ordinated effort including an aggressive lobbying campaign by individual LEOFF 1 members that did the trick.  In my mind, no individual group can claim the credit.  An unfortunate fall of of this bill was the decision by the Washington Council of Fire Fighters and WACOPS to leave the Coalition.  They, being primairly LEOFF 2 organizations did not want to be involved in a lawsuit againt the legislature and it look very much like a lawsuit would be filed if the bill passed.  The Coalition did a stellar job in mobilizing opposition to this bill, but all of the organizations lobbied against it.  It was a major topic on LEOFF1.Net and our subscribers worked hard to defeat the bill as well.)

2001 — Senate Bill 6166/2Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6166

This bill would have restated LEOFF Plan 1 to utilize the surplus in the fund, establishing a medical risk pool and enhancing the pension plan.

(Webmaster - This bill did not pass, but it sure stirred folks up.  The bill did not go through the normal process but was, instead, slipped in through the Senate Ways and Means Committee with almost no notice.  A lot of damage was done to our community when the Washington Council of Fire Fighers and WACOPS, thinking the bill was sure to pass, slipped in an amendment that would have put $100 million into the LEOFF 2 fund.  Everybody else worked hard to defeat the bill.  The final killer was a last minute lawsuit filed by Haugens-Berman on behalf of two LEOFF 1 members.  The Coalition organized that lawsuit and it was another stellar effort on their part. Time and reversals in the funding status has shown that this was a bad bill from the start.  Had it passed our pension plan would be in serious deficit by now.)

2004 — House Bill 3174

This bill would have established a LEOFF Plan 1 Medical Account for catastrophic illnesses funded with six percent member contributions and six percent employer contributions, if not needed for the pension plan.

(Webmaster - This bill was proposed by the RFFOW as a way to get the pension contribution holiday repealled.  It did not get out of committee.  Had it passed it would have brought in about $16 million to assist the cities, counties and fire districts with catastrophic medical expenses.)

2006 — Substitute House Bill 2688 (Ch. 350)

(Webmaster - Section 1 of the bill addressed LEOFF Plan 1 pension benefit caps, and Section 2 mandated a study of retiree medical benefit costs. The governor signed the bill into law, vetoing Section 2 and directing the Department of Retirement Systems and the Health Care Authority to consult with plan members and representatives of local governments, and lay the groundwork for a study of the medical benefits issue.

(This bill removed the 60% cap that applied to some LEOFF 1 members.  It was opposed by the Coalition but brought equity to those members subject to the cap.  The LEOFF 1 Medical Benefits study posted elewhere on this site is the product of the committee formed after the Task Force section was vetoed.)