HB 246 -- KANSAS CITY POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

CO-SPONSORS:  Bishop, Johnson (47), Skaggs, LeVota, Young, Ervin,
Wilson (42), Meiners, Jolly, Curls, Dusenberg

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Retirement by a vote of 10 to 0.

This bill revises provisions pertaining to the Kansas City Police
Retirement System.

The Kansas City Police Department is required to grant
authorized leave with pay to active police officers and civilian
employees to attend educational seminars and similar functions
for a period not to exceed 10 days in any calendar year.  The
bill requires that the educational seminars and similar functions
be authorized by the Retirement Board.

If the City of Kansas City and the Kansas City Police Department
adopt a program of incentives to encourage early retirement of
members, the board is authorized to administer and pay the
incentives established by the program.  This provision is
contingent upon the city requesting and agreeing to increase
financial contributions to the police retirement system.

If the City of Kansas City and the Kansas City Police Department
adopt a program of incentives to encourage early retirement of
civilian employees, the Retirement Board for Civilian Employees
is authorized to administer and pay the incentives established by
the program.  This provision is contingent upon the city
requesting and agreeing to increase financial contributions to
the civilian retirement system.

The bill also requires a funeral benefit of $1,000 to be paid in
addition to all other benefits for a civilian employee.  Proper
proof of death is required.  If the funeral benefit for a
civilian employee is less than the employee's accumulated
contributions, an amount equal to the difference is required to
be paid to the employee's designated beneficiary or personal
representative.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that in order for the retirement
incentive plan to be implemented, the bill requires the City of
Kansas City and the Kansas City Police and Civilian Retirement
Board to agree to fund and administer the plan.  Members of the
board should not have to use personal vacation time in order to
attend educational seminars and similar functions that improve a
member's professional development and the administration of the
retirement board.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Bishop; and James
Pyle, Executive Director, Kansas City Police and Civilian
Retirement System.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am