MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE RETIREMENT AND INDEPENDENT ENTITIES STANDING COMMITTEE
Room 20, House Building
February 20, 2015
Members Present: Rep. Kraig Powell, Chair
Rep. Rich Cunningham, Vice Chair
Rep. Sophia DiCaro
Rep. Susan Duckworth
Rep. Brad Last
Rep. Justin Miller
Rep. Marie Poulson
Rep. John Westwood
Members Absent: Rep. Steve Eliason
Staff Present: Mr. Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst
Ms. Kathy Gessel, Committee Secretary
Note: A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.
Vice Chair Cunningham called the meeting to order at 12:38 p.m.
MOTION: Rep. Duckworth moved to approve the minutes of the February 13, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
H.B. 115 Public Safety Retirement for Dispatchers (Rep. K. Powell)
Rep. Powell explained the bill to the committee.
Spoke to the bill: Dee Larsen, Legal Council, Utah Retirement Systems
Spoke for the bill: Jeff Winterton, Wasatch County Sheriff's Office
Vaughn Howard, Fraternal Order of Police
Donna Walters, Bountiful Police Department
Karl Kuehn, Layton Police Department
Kimi Mayo, citizen
Terry Shaw, Valley Emergency Communications Center
Melanie Crittenden, Summit County Sheriff's Office
MOTION: Rep. Westwood moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
S.B. 41 Utah Science Center Authority Amendments (Sen. T. Weiler)
Sen. Weiler explained the bill to the committee.
MOTION: Rep. Poulson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
MOTION: Rep. Miller moved to place S.B. 41 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.
H.B. 288 Line-of-duty Death Benefits for Peace Officers and Firefighters (Rep. P. Ray)
Rep. Ray explained the bill to the committee.
Spoke to the bill: Dee Larsen, Legal Council, Utah Retirement Systems
Spoke for the bill: Nanette Wride, citizen
Shante Johnson, citizen
Todd Losser, Utah Public Employees' Association
Vaughn Howard, Fraternal Order of Police
Gary Hill, Utah League of Cities and Towns
Micheal Milllard, Salt Lake Police Association
Todd Richardson, Davis County Sheriff's Department
MOTION: Rep. Miller moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 3, Lines 76 through 83:
76 (a) If the death is classified by the office as a line-of-duty death, the spouse at the time
77of death shall receive :
(i) a lump sum [of $1,500] equal to six months of the active member's final
78average salary ; and
(ii) an allowance equal to 37.5% of the member's final average monthly salary.
79 (b) If the death is not classified by the office as a line-of-duty death, benefits are
80payable as follows:
81 (i) If the member has accrued two or more years of public safety service credit at the
82time of death, the death is considered a line-of-duty death and the { benefit shall be paid } spouse at the time of death shall receive:
(A) a lump sum of $1,500; and
(B) an allowance as
83provided under Subsection (1)(a) (ii) .
2. Page 5, Line 147 through Page 6, Line 152:
147 (a) If the death is classified by the office as a line-of-duty death, the spouse at the time
148of death shall receive :
(i) a lump sum [of $1,500] equal to six months of the active member's final
149average salary ; and
(ii) an allowance equal to 37.5% of the member's final average monthly salary.
150 (b) If the death is not classified by the office as a line-of-duty death, and the member
151has accrued two or more years of public safety service credit at the time of death, the death is
152considered line-of-duty and the { benefit shall be paid } spouse at the time of death shall receive:
(i) a lump sum of $1,500; and
(ii) an allowance as provided under Subsection (1)(a) (ii) .
3. Page 8, Lines 217 through 229:
217 (i) If the member has accrued less than 20 years of firefighter service credit, the spouse
218at the time of death shall receive :
(A) a lump sum [of $1,500] equal to six months of the active
219member's final average salary ; and
(B) an allowance equal to 37.5% of the member's final average
220monthly salary.
221 (ii) If the member has accrued 20 or more years of firefighter service credit, the
222member shall be considered to have retired with an allowance calculated under Section
22349-16-402 and the spouse at the time of death shall receive the death benefit payable to a
224spouse under Section 49-16-504.
225 (b) If the death is not classified by the office as a line-of-duty death, the benefits are
226payable as follows:
227 (i) If the member has accrued five or more years of firefighter service credit, the death
228is considered line-of-duty and the { same benefits are payable } spouse at time of death shall receive:
(A) a lump sum of $1,500; and
(B) an allowance as established under Subsection
229(1)(a) (i)(B) .
4. Page 11, Lines 326 through 329:
326 (1) An employer shall notify the governor's office of the line-of-duty death of an active member.
(2) The governor's office shall ensure that the spouse, at the time of death of the active member, or
327the beneficiary are provided assistance to understand and apply for any death benefit for which
328the surviving spouse or beneficiaries may be eligible under this chapter, other Utah law, federal
329law, or local policy or ordinance.
The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
MOTION: Rep. Miller moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
MOTION: Rep. Powell moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Last absent for the vote.
Vice Chair Cunningham adjourned the meeting at 1:45 p.m.
___________________________________
Rep. Kraig Powell, Chair