Section 41.40.795. Transfer period and basis—Additional transfer payment.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Transfer period" means the time during which a member of one of the groups of plan 2 members identified in subsection (2) of this section may choose to irrevocably transfer from plan 2 to plan 3.

(b) "Transfer basis" means the accumulated contributions present in a member's savings fund on March 1, 2002, less fifty percent of any contributions made pursuant to RCW 41.50.165(2), which is the basis for calculation of the plan 2 to plan 3 additional transfer payment.

(c) "Additional transfer payment date" means June 1, 2003, the date of the additional transfer payment made according to subsection (6) of this section.

(2) Every plan 2 member employed by an employer in an eligible position has the option during their transfer period to make an irrevocable transfer to plan 3 according to the following schedule:

(a) For those members employed by state agencies and institutes of higher education the transfer period means the period between March 1, 2002, and September 1, 2002.

(b) For those members employed by other organizations the transfer period means the period between September 1, 2002, and June 1, 2003.

(c) For those members employed by more than one employer within the retirement system, and whose transfer period is different between one employer and another, the member's transfer period is the last period that is available from any of that member's employers within the retirement system.

(3) All service credit in plan 2 shall be transferred to the defined benefit portion of plan 3.

(4)(a) Anyone who first became a state or higher education member of plan 2 before March 1, 2002, or a local government member of plan 2 before September 1, 2002, who wishes to transfer to plan 3 after their transfer period may transfer during the month of January in any following year, provided that the member earns service credit for that month.

(b) Anyone who chose to become a state or higher education member of plan 2 on or after March 1, 2002, or a local government member of plan 2 on or after September 1, 2002, is prohibited from transferring to plan 3 under (a) of this subsection.

(5) The accumulated contributions in plan 2, less fifty percent of any contributions made pursuant to RCW 41.50.165(2) shall be transferred to the member's account in the defined contribution portion established in chapter 41.34 RCW, pursuant to procedures developed by the department and subject to RCW 41.34.090. Contributions made pursuant to RCW 41.50.165(2) that are not transferred to the member's account shall be transferred to the fund created in RCW 41.50.075(3), except that interest earned on all such contributions shall be transferred to the member's account.

(6) Those members employed by state agencies and institutions of higher education who request to transfer under this section during their transfer period and establish service credit for June 2002, and those members employed by other organizations and who establish service credit for either June 2002 or February 2003, shall have their member account:

(a) If a member's transfer period is that described in subsection (2)(a) of this section, increased by one hundred ten percent of the transfer basis;

(b) If a member's transfer period is that described in subsection (2)(b) of this section, increased by one hundred eleven percent of the transfer basis; and

(c) Deposited into the member's individual account on the additional transfer payment date.

(7) If a member who requests to transfer dies before June 1, 2003, the additional payment provided by this section shall be paid to the member's estate, or the person or persons, trust, or organization the member nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the department.

(8) Anyone previously retired from plan 2 is prohibited from transferring to plan 3.

(9) The legislature reserves the right to discontinue the right to transfer under this section and to modify and to discontinue the right to an additional payment under this section for any plan 2 members who have not previously transferred to plan 3.

[ 2002 c 159 § 1; 2000 c 247 § 304.]

2002 c 159 § 1; 2000 c 247 § 304.