2024 Session Year-End Report
Though we may not have reached the heights we anticipated yesterday, today is a brand-new day to begin a new climb. ~ Chinonye Chidolue
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. ~ Mother TeresaÂ
Session has concluded and the Governor has acted. Below is a brief summary of pension, health care, and other legislation that will impact school districts, present staff, and future retirees. The work to implement the changes continues.
Retirement/Health Related Proposals
SHB 1985: Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees’ retirement system plan 1 and the teachers’ retirement system plan 1.
Comment: This bill provides a one-time 3 percent increase to the retirement benefits of retirees in the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System Plan 1, up to $110 per month effective July 1, 2024. A reminder that last session the Select Committee on Pension Policy was directed to study and recommend an ongoing COLA for plan 1 retirees. Their recommendation must consider employer contribution rate stability and coordinate the effective date with the reduction or elimination of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability. This will be a key focus of their activity during the interim.
The Governor signed the bill. Effective 7/23/2023.
HB 2481: Waiving health benefit premiums in the public employees’ benefits board.
Comment: This bill waives the payment of health benefit premiums for the deceased during the month of death for retired participants in the Public Employees’ Benefits Board health coverage programs. The dependents/survivors will still be responsible for their share of the premium cost.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
RE: SEBB/PEBB (Budget Provisos)
Section 212 (8)(a) allocates money and directs the Health Care Authority (HCA) to study consolidating the PEBB and SEBB programs. Report due Dec. 1, 2024 which should outline the steps needed to accomplish such a consolidation.
$100,000 is provided to report to the legislature by December 1, 2024, the necessary statutory and program changes required to achieve consolidation of:
- PEBB and SEBB into a single governing board
- The current PEBB non-Medicare and SEBB Active risk pools
- Existing eligibility provisions
- Benefit offerings into more aligned plans
The report should consider:
- Ways to engage with impacted participants
- Options to maintain eligibility
- Options to ensure equity
- Data and findings from previous reports related to consolidation
Section 212(9) directs the HCA to report to the legislature by Dec. 1, 2024, describing options and a recommendation for probable future coverage for approved glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. (The same language is also under SEBB section 213 (2).
Other Areas of Potential Fiscal ($$) Impact and (Often, Unfunded) to Districts:
Below are selected titles and brief summaries of proposed bills that may have potential impact to the business operations of districts. WASA has a more extensive list and explanations.
SHB 1105: Requiring public agencies to provide notice for public comment that includes the last date by which such public comment must be submitted.
Comment: This bill mandates a public agency that is required to solicit public comment for a statutorily specified period of time and provide notice that it is soliciting public comment to include in the notice the first and last date of the comment period and the time by which written public comment may be submitted. • Subjects an agency to civil penalties for failure to include in a notice for public comment the first and last day of the comment period and time by which written comment may be submitted.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
ESHB 1248: Concerning pupil transportation.
Comment: This bill provides that school districts may only enter into, renew, or extend pupil transportation services contracts with private nongovernmental entities that provide employee health and retirement benefits comparable to those received by school employees. • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to reimburse school districts for increased costs due to providing these benefits and provides a formula for calculating the reimbursement.
The budget included $425,000 solely for supplemental transportation allocations contractor benefits. (Note: This is a one-time allocation. Future continued costs are subject to further appropriations in future budget(s).)
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
E2SHB 1618: Concerning the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse.
Comment: It eliminates the statute of limitations for recovery of damages as a result of childhood sexual abuse for all intentional actions occurring after June 6, 2024.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
SHB 1905: Including protected classes in the Washington equal pay and opportunities act.
Comment: This bill extends the prohibitions on discrimination in wages and career advancement opportunities and the remedies to a person’s membership in a protected class. Provides that protected class means a person’s age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.
Signed and effective 7/1/25.
HB 1927: Reducing the number of days that a worker’s temporary total disability must continue to receive industrial insurance compensation for the day of an injury and the three-day period following the injury.
Comment: It reduces the number of days – from 14 to 7 – that a temporary total disability must continue to receive workers’ compensation time loss benefits for the first three days following the injury.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
HB 2044: An act relating to standardizing limitations on voter-approved property tax levies.
Comment: This bill removes the restriction on levy lid lift funds supplanting existing funds.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
SHB 2127 – 2023-24
Concerning workers’ compensation incentives to return to work.
Comment: This bill modifies certain return-to-work policies and reimbursement amounts under the workers’ compensation program.
- Increases the maximum amounts of reimbursements paid to employers participating in the Stay at Work Program and Preferred Worker Program by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).
- Increases the maximum amount paid to qualifying employers for job modification costs by L&I.
- Allows L&I to authorize payments for basic skills development for qualifying injured workers.
Signed and effective 1/1/25.
HB 2246: Concerning vacation leave accrual for state employees.
Comment: This bill increases the annual cap on the accrual of unused vacation leave for state employees from 240 hours to 280 hours.
Signed and effective 6/6/24.
SHB 2381: Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers.
Comment: This bill expands eligibility for economy and efficiency waivers to the 180-day school year
