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Committee hears SB 5306 to let LEOFF‑2 members buy leave service without returning to work
Summary
Substitute Senate Bill 5306 would let LEOFF‑2 members who took unpaid leave buy up to two years of service credit even if they do not return to work; the bill bases the purchase on the salary at the time the leave was authorized and carries minimal expected administrative cost.
The committee received a staff briefing on Senate Bill 53 06, a companion to House Bill 1349, that would change how members of LEOFF‑2 can purchase up to two years of service credit for unpaid leaves of absence.
Under current law, a LEOFF‑2 member who takes an unpaid leave must return to work and pay member, employer and state contributions during the first five years after return to secure the service credit. SB 5306 removes the requirement that the member return to work; instead, a member who retires may purchase up to two years of service credit using a contribution calculated on the member’s salary at the time the leave was authorized, adjusted for cost‑of‑living or other pay increases provided to similar job classes at that employer during the leave period.
David Pringle briefed the committee and said the Department of Retirement Systems expects a small administrative impact — under $50,000 — for implementing the change.
What the committee did: received the staff briefing; no public testimony was recorded on the bill during this session. Mr. Nelson (director of the LEOFF‑2 board) confirmed written testimony had been submitted and thanked the committee; the committee recorded no further action in the transcript.
