Hawaii-2016-HB1924-Introduced

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that our state's police officers, firefighters, and Hawaii National Guard retirees are an invaluable asset to our community. In 2014, the Honolulu Police Department alone had fifty-nine retirees who acquired exceptional skills that could still be valuable to the State. However, the current state pension and retirement system of chapter 88, Hawaii Revised Statutes, precludes retirees from receiving retirement and pension benefits if they accept further state employment, preventing highly qualified retired police officers, firefighters, and Hawaii National Guard retirees from serving in permanent security safety officer and security attendant positions in state departments identified as having heightened security needs.

Ensuring safety in our state facilities, including public schools, is one of the most important responsibilities of the State. However, compared to the mainland, security positions in Hawaii pay less even though the costs of living here are higher. According to Civil Beat, police officers in Washington and New York make $12,000 more than their counterparts in Hawaii, and those in California, about $28,000 more. Additional incentives are needed to address the increased security needs in the State and the retirees' financial ability to live here after retirement.

The purpose of this Act is to allow Hawaii National Guard and police or firefighter retirees with pension and retirement benefits to receive their benefits while employed as state security safety officers and security attendants within state government.

SECTION 2. Section 88-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"(d) A retirant may be employed without reenrollment in the system and suffer no loss or interruption of benefits provided by the system or under chapter 87A if the retirant is employed:

(1) As an elective officer pursuant to section 88-42.6(c) or as a member of the legislature pursuant to section 88-73(d);

(2) As a juror or precinct official;

(3) As a part-time or temporary employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-43, as a session employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-54.2, as the president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii tourism authority excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 201B-2, or as any other employee expressly excluded by law from membership in the system; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment; and

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement;

(4) In a position identified by the appropriate jurisdiction as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) Each employer shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; or

(5) As a teacher, school security safety officer, school security attendant, or an administrator in a teacher shortage or heightened security concern area identified by the department of education or in a charter school as a mentor for new classroom teachers; or in any state facility with a heightened security concern as identified by the department of public safety; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) The department of education or charter school shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2016.

INTRODUCED BY:

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1924
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII