PRINTER'S NO. 2894

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2123 Session of 1986


        INTRODUCED BY MOWERY AND A. C. FOSTER, JR., FEBRUARY 11, 1986

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 11, 1986

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of August 1, 1975 (P.L.169, No.87), entitled
     2     "An act relating to pensions for employees of the City of
     3     Pittsburgh," further providing for the contribution rate of
     4     members and contributions by the city; and requiring the
     5     board to retain an actuary.

     6     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     7  hereby enacts as follows:
     8     Section 1.  The definition of "contribution rate" in section
     9  1 of the act of August 1, 1975 (P.L.169, No.87), entitled "An
    10  act relating to pensions for employees of the City of
    11  Pittsburgh," is amended to read:
    12     Section 1.  Definitions.--The following terms shall have the
    13  following respective meanings for the purposes of this act,
    14  unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context.
    15     * * *
    16     "Contribution rate."  [Five percent.] Except to the extent
    17  that section 607(c) of the act of December 18, 1984 (P.L.1005,
    18  No.205), known as the "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard
    19  and Recovery Act," applies, five percent of salary or wages.


     1     * * *
     2     Section 2.  Sections 2(e), 4(a), (b), (e) and (i) and 5 of
     3  the act are amended to read:
     4     Section 2.  Administration.--* * *
     5     (e)  The members of the board may rely upon tables,
     6  valuations and reports furnished by qualified professional
     7  consultants. The board shall retain an approved actuary within
     8  the meaning of that term pursuant to the act of December 18,
     9  1984 (P.L.1005, No.205), known as the "Municipal Pension Plan
    10  Funding Standard and Recovery Act," who shall assist the chief
    11  administrative officer of the pension plan and of the city in
    12  the preparation of actuarial valuation reports pursuant to that
    13  act.
    14     * * *
    15     Section 4.  Contributions by Members.--(a)  Each member of
    16  the fund who is making contributions hereunder on December 31,
    17  1974, and each employee who becomes a member on or after January
    18  1, 1975, shall contribute to the fund [5% of] an amount equal to
    19  the contribution rate applied to his salary or wages.
    20     (b)  Any member who retires subsequent to January 1, 1975 but
    21  prior to January 1, 1980 may elect to increase his average
    22  monthly earnings by contributing [5% of] an amount equal to the
    23  contribution rate applied to earnings in excess of $650 per
    24  month for up to 36 months of service rendered prior to the
    25  effective date of this act.
    26     * * *
    27     (e)  Each person who becomes an employee of the city after
    28  having been employed by the city in the bureau of fire or the
    29  bureau of police, and who is not entitled to retirement benefits
    30  for such service under another retirement system and who desires
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     1  to have such service credited in the fund, shall be required to
     2  pay to the fund an amount equal to [5% of] the contribution rate
     3  applied to the total salary or wages received by him for each
     4  month of service for which he wishes to receive credit together
     5  with interest at the rate earned by the fund during the period
     6  of such employment. Such amount shall be deducted from the
     7  monthly salary or wages of the member over a period of two years
     8  or in such manner and period as the board may determine. Upon
     9  full payment of the amount due the member shall receive credit
    10  for said period of service. If any member shall be injured while
    11  in the actual performance of duty before he shall have made full
    12  contribution for past service, so long as the disability
    13  continues, he shall be eligible for pension under this act, but
    14  any amount which he shall not yet have paid to the fund as a
    15  contribution for past services under this section at the date of
    16  his injury shall be paid, if the board, in its discretion, shall
    17  so determine, in such monthly amounts as the board may
    18  determine, which amounts shall be deducted from his or her
    19  pension as and when monthly payments thereof shall be made.
    20     * * *
    21     (i)  Any pensioner who had less than 20 years credited
    22  service or who had elected to receive an early reduced pension
    23  and who returns to service shall start contributing at [5% of]
    24  an amount equal to the contribution rate applied to his salary
    25  or wages and shall be entitled to have his subsequent retirement
    26  pension be determined on the basis of this total service history
    27  by restoring to the fund the total of the amount received in
    28  pension payments.
    29     Section 5.  Contributions by the City.--(a) The public
    30  officials of the city charged with the disbursements,
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     1  expenditures, and appropriations, shall annually set aside,
     2  apportion, and appropriate, out of all taxes and income of the
     3  city, to the board, a sum sufficient to [maintain the pensions
     4  due under this act. If the total disbursements from the fund for
     5  the payment of pensions, refund of accumulated contributions of
     6  members, and administration expenses shall exceed in any year
     7  the total revenues of the fund from member contributions and the
     8  interest and premiums on investments and bank deposits, then the
     9  amount to be set aside, apportioned and appropriated by the
    10  public officials of the city to the fund shall not be less than
    11  the difference between the total disbursements and receipts of
    12  the fund, as aforesaid.] meet the minimum obligation of the
    13  municipality with respect to the pension plan pursuant to the
    14  act of December 18, 1984 (P.L.1005, No.205), known as the
    15  "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act."
    16     (b)  Every authority or agency, whose employees are members
    17  of the fund, shall be held liable for [the amount due to the
    18  fund on account of benefits provided by this act which are paid
    19  to employees of such authority or agency: Provided, however,
    20  That where an employee of the authority or agency formerly
    21  worked for the city, the authority or agency shall be held
    22  liable for that proportionate part of the pension or other
    23  benefits paid which the authority or agency service bears to the
    24  total credited service] its proportional amount of the minimum
    25  obligation of the municipality with respect to the pension plan
    26  cited in subsection (a) as determined by the board.
    27     Section 3.  This act shall take effect immediately.


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