PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 430, 718                  PRINTER'S NO. 905

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 405 Session of 1991


        INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, O'PAKE, REIBMAN, STAPLETON, LINCOLN, HART,
           MUSTO, STOUT, DAWIDA, LYNCH, FUMO, BODACK, PECORA, BELAN,
           SCHWARTZ, ANDREZESKI, BORTNER, JONES, AFFLERBACH, SCANLON,
           LAVALLE, LEWIS, WILLIAMS, PORTERFIELD, RHOADES, SHUMAKER,
           HELFRICK, LEMMOND, BELL AND STEWART, FEBRUARY 11, 1991

        SENATOR TILGHMAN, APPROPRIATIONS, RE-REPORTED AS AMENDED,
           APRIL 2, 1991

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Titles 24 (Education) and 71 (State Government) of the
     2     Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, adding provisions
     3     relating to credited service as a retirement incentive;
     4     PROVIDING FOR LEGAL ADVISORS TO THE RESPECTIVE BOARDS; and     <--
     5     further providing for special early retirement and for
     6     accrued liability.

     7     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     8  hereby enacts as follows:
     9     Section 1.  The introductory paragraph and paragraph (3) of
    10  section 8312 AND SECTIONS 8501(E) AND 8502(B) AND (H) of Title    <--
    11  24 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to
    12  read:
    13  § 8312.  Eligibility for special early retirement.
    14     Notwithstanding any provisions of this title to the contrary,
    15  for the period only of July 1, 1985, to [September 30, 1991]
    16  June 30, 1993, the following special early retirement provisions
    17  shall be applicable to specified eligible members as follows:
    18         * * *

     1         (3)  During the period of July 1, 1987, to [September 30,
     2     1991] June 30, 1993, a member who has credit for at least 30
     3     eligibility points shall be entitled, upon termination of
     4     service and filing of a proper application, to receive a
     5     maximum single life annuity calculated pursuant to section
     6     8342 without any reduction by virtue of an effective date of
     7     retirement which is under the superannuation age.
     8  § 8501.  PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT BOARD.               <--
     9     * * *
    10     (E)  CORPORATE POWER AND LEGAL ADVISOR.--FOR THE PURPOSES OF
    11  THIS PART, THE BOARD SHALL POSSESS THE POWER AND PRIVILEGES OF A
    12  CORPORATION. THE [ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH] COUNSEL
    13  EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD SHALL BE THE LEGAL ADVISOR OF THE BOARD.
    14  § 8502.  ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF BOARD.
    15     * * *
    16     (B)  PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL.--THE BOARD SHALL CONTRACT FOR
    17  THE SERVICES OF A CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, AN ACTUARY, INVESTMENT
    18  ADVISORS, COUNSELORS, AN INVESTMENT COORDINATOR, AND SUCH OTHER
    19  PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL AS IT DEEMS ADVISABLE. THE BOARD SHALL
    20  HAVE THE POWER TO CONTRACT FOR LEGAL SERVICES.
    21     * * *
    22     (H)  REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.--THE BOARD SHALL, WITH THE
    23  ADVICE OF THE [ATTORNEY GENERAL] BOARD COUNSEL AND THE ACTUARY,
    24  ADOPT AND PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE UNIFORM
    25  ADMINISTRATION OF THE SYSTEM. THE ACTUARY SHALL APPROVE IN
    26  WRITING ALL COMPUTATIONAL PROCEDURES USED IN THE CALCULATION OF
    27  CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS PRIOR TO THEIR APPLICATION BY THE
    28  BOARD.
    29     * * *
    30     Section 2.  Section 5302(c) of Title 71 is amended and the
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     1  section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
     2  § 5302.  Credited State service.
     3     * * *
     4     (c)  Credited service as retirement incentive.--
     5  Notwithstanding any provisions of this title to the contrary,
     6  for the period February 1, 1991, to September 30, 1991, any
     7  active member who is, DURING SUCH PERIOD, 55 years of age or      <--
     8  older, OR WILL ATTAIN 55 YEARS OF AGE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 30,       <--
     9  1991, AND JANUARY 31, 1992, who terminates active service ON OR   <--
    10  BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 1991, with ten or more eligibility points,
    11  and who files an application for retirement prior to January 1,
    12  1992, shall be credited with an additional 10% of his Class A
    13  and Class C service. This provision shall not apply in the case
    14  of active members who are justices, judges or district justices,
    15  legislators, other elected officials, and officers of the
    16  Pennsylvania State Police.
    17     [(c)] (d)  Cancellation of credited service.--All credited
    18  service shall be cancelled if a member withdraws his total
    19  accumulated deductions.
    20     Section 3.  Sections 5308.1, 5508(c) and 5706(a), 5706(A),     <--
    21  5901(E) AND 5902(B) AND (H) of Title 71 are amended to read:
    22  § 5308.1.  Eligibility for special early retirement.
    23     Notwithstanding any provisions of this title to the contrary,
    24  [for the period only of July 1, 1985, to September 30, 1991,]
    25  the following special early retirement provisions shall be
    26  applicable to specified eligible members as follows:
    27         (1)  During the period of July 1, 1985, to [September 30,
    28     1991] the effective date of paragraph (3), an active member
    29     who has attained the age of at least 53 years and has accrued
    30     at least 30 eligibility points shall be entitled, upon
    19910S0405B0905                  - 3 -

     1     termination of State service and compliance with section
     2     5907(f) (relating to rights and duties of State employees and
     3     members), to receive a maximum single life annuity calculated
     4     under section 5702 (relating to maximum single life annuity)
     5     without a reduction by virtue of an effective date of
     6     retirement which is under the superannuation age.
     7         (2)  During the period of July 1, 1985, to [September 30,
     8     1991] the effective date of paragraph (3), an active member
     9     who has attained the age of at least 50 years but not greater
    10     than 53 years and has accrued at least 30 eligibility points
    11     shall be entitled, upon termination of State service and
    12     compliance with section 5907(f), to receive a maximum single
    13     life annuity calculated under section 5702 with a reduction
    14     by virtue of an effective date of retirement which is under
    15     the superannuation age of a percentage factor which shall be
    16     determined by multiplying the number of months, including a
    17     fraction of a month as a full month, by which the effective
    18     date of retirement precedes the attainment of age 53 by
    19     0.25%.
    20         (3)  From the effective date of this paragraph to June
    21     30, 1993, a member who has credit for at least 30 eligibility
    22     points shall be entitled, upon termination of service and
    23     filing of a proper application, to receive a maximum single
    24     life annuity calculated pursuant to section 5702 without any
    25     reduction by virtue of an effective date of retirement which
    26     is under the superannuation age.
    27  § 5508.  Actuarial cost method.
    28     * * *
    29     (c)  Accrued liability contribution rate.--For the fiscal
    30  year beginning July 1, 1969, the accrued liability contribution
    19910S0405B0905                  - 4 -

     1  rate shall be computed as the rate of total compensation of all
     2  active members which shall be certified by the actuary as
     3  sufficient to fund over a period of 30 years from such date the
     4  present value of the liabilities for all prospective benefits,
     5  except supplemental benefits as provided in section 5708, in
     6  excess of the total assets in the fund, excluding the balance in
     7  the supplemental annuity account, and the present value of
     8  employer normal contributions and of member contributions
     9  payable with respect to all active members on such date during
    10  the remainder of their active service, assuming that the total
    11  compensation of all active members will increase at the annual
    12  rate of 4% compounded annually. Thereafter, the amount of each
    13  annual accrued liability contribution shall be at least 4%
    14  greater than the amount of such contribution for the previous
    15  fiscal year, except that, if the accrued liability is increased
    16  by legislation enacted subsequent to July 1, 1969, such
    17  additional liability, except as provided for by section 5302(c)
    18  (relating to credited State service), shall be funded over a
    19  period of 30 years from the first day of July, coincident with
    20  or next following the effective date of the increase assuming
    21  that the total compensation of all active members will increase
    22  at the annual rate of 4% compounded annually. The added
    23  liability created by the enactment of section 5302(c) shall be
    24  funded over a period of ten years from July 1, 1991, on a
    25  uniform annual dollar amount over that period. The accrued
    26  liability contributions under this section shall be discontinued
    27  as soon as the total assets in the fund, excluding the balance
    28  in the supplemental annuity account, equals the present value of
    29  the liability for all prospective benefits, except the
    30  supplemental benefits as provided in section 5708, less the
    19910S0405B0905                  - 5 -

     1  present value of the prospective employer normal contributions
     2  and of member contributions payable with respect to all active
     3  members on such date during the remainder of their active
     4  service.
     5     * * *
     6  § 5706.  Termination of annuities.
     7     (a)  General rule.--If the annuitant returns to State service
     8  or enters school service and elects multiple service membership,
     9  any annuity payable to him under this part shall cease and in
    10  the case of an annuity other than a disability annuity the
    11  present value of such annuity, adjusted for full coverage in the
    12  case of a joint coverage member who makes the appropriate back
    13  contributions for full coverage, shall be frozen as of the date
    14  such annuity ceases. An annuitant who is credited with an
    15  additional 10% of Class A and Class C service as provided in
    16  section 5302(c) (relating to credited State service) and who
    17  returns to State service shall forfeit such credited service and
    18  the additional 10% of Class A and Class C service as provided in  <--
    19  section 5302(c). SHALL HAVE HIS FROZEN PRESENT VALUE ADJUSTED AS  <--
    20  IF HIS 10% RETIREMENT INCENTIVE HAD NOT BEEN APPLIED TO HIS
    21  ACCOUNT. In the event that the cost-of-living increase enacted
    22  December 18, 1979, occurred during the period of such State or
    23  school employment, the frozen present value shall be increased,
    24  on or after the member attains superannuation age, by the
    25  percent applicable had he not returned to service. This
    26  subsection shall not apply in the case of any annuitant who may
    27  render services to the Commonwealth in the capacity of an
    28  independent contractor or as a member of an independent board or
    29  commission or as a member of a departmental administrative or
    30  advisory board or commission when such members of independent or
    19910S0405B0905                  - 6 -

     1  departmental boards or commissions are compensated on a per diem
     2  basis for not more than 100 days per calendar year.
     3     * * *
     4  § 5901.  THE STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT BOARD.                   <--
     5     * * *
     6     (E)  CORPORATE POWER AND LEGAL ADVISOR.--FOR THE PURPOSES OF
     7  THIS PART, THE BOARD SHALL POSSESS THE POWER AND PRIVILEGES OF A
     8  CORPORATION. THE [ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH] COUNSEL
     9  EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD SHALL BE THE LEGAL ADVISOR OF THE BOARD.
    10  § 5902.  ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF THE BOARD.
    11     * * *
    12     (B)  PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL.--THE BOARD SHALL CONTRACT FOR
    13  THE SERVICES OF A CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, AN ACTUARY, INVESTMENT
    14  ADVISORS AND COUNSELORS, AND SUCH OTHER PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL
    15  AS IT DEEMS ADVISABLE. THE BOARD [MAY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE
    16  ATTORNEY GENERAL,] SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO CONTRACT FOR LEGAL
    17  SERVICES.
    18     * * *
    19     (H)  REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.--THE BOARD SHALL, WITH THE
    20  ADVICE OF THE [ATTORNEY GENERAL] BOARD COUNSEL AND THE ACTUARY,
    21  ADOPT AND PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE UNIFORM
    22  ADMINISTRATION OF THE SYSTEM. THE ACTUARY SHALL APPROVE IN
    23  WRITING ALL COMPUTATIONAL PROCEDURES USED IN THE CALCULATION OF
    24  CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS PRIOR TO THEIR APPLICATION BY THE
    25  BOARD.
    26     * * *
    27     Section 4.  Upon the effective date of this act, the State
    28  Employees' Retirement Board shall recompute the retirement
    29  benefits of annuitants who filed applications for retirement in
    30  accordance with 71 Pa.C.S. § 5302(c) but prior to the effective
    19910S0405B0905                  - 7 -

     1  date of this act.
     2     SECTION 5.  IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT THE  <--
     3  PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT BOARD AND THE STATE
     4  EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT BOARD BE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES WITHIN THE
     5  MEANING THE ACT OF OCTOBER 15, 1980 (P.L.950, NO.164), KNOWN AS
     6  THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEYS ACT. ACCORDINGLY, WITHIN 60 DAYS OF
     7  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES'
     8  RETIREMENT BOARD AND THE STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT BOARD SHALL
     9  EACH EMPLOY COUNSEL FOR THE RESPECTIVE BOARDS.
    10     Section 5 6.  This act shall take effect immediately.          <--














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