Representative Travis Couture elected chair of Select Committee on Pension Policy

Representative Travis Couture was elected chair of the Select Committee on Pension Policy during the committee’s June 17, 2025 meeting, following a voice vote. Senator Steve Conway was elected vice chair, and three members were named to the committee’s executive committee.

The committee convened with Vice Chair Fitzgibbon presiding in the absence of Chair Behnke. After approval of the May minutes by roll call (13 aye, 2 excused), Representative Macquarie moved to nominate Representative Travis Couture as chair. The committee confirmed Couture by voice vote. Senator Steve Conway was nominated and confirmed by voice vote as vice chair.

The committee also filled three statutory executive-committee slots that represent stakeholder groups: an active-members representative, a retiree representative and an employer representative. Member Yastrzemski was appointed to the active-members slot; Member Bev Hermanson was appointed to the retiree slot; and Member Anthony Murrieta was appointed to the employer slot. All appointments were approved by voice vote.

The committee’s staff briefed members on the election procedure before voting. Darren Painter, staff to the committee, told members the slate the committee typically elects each year includes a chair from the House in odd-numbered years and a vice chair from the Senate, plus three executive-committee members representing actives, retirees and employers.

With the new officers in place the committee moved on to its scheduled business, including informational briefings on pension funding and a study plan on LEOFF 1 merger/termination.