CCS HS HCS SS#2 SCS SB 248, 100, 118, 233, 247, 341 & 420 --
RETIREMENT SYSTEMS AND BENEFITS

This bill revises provisions pertaining to various retirement
systems, establishes a medical and retirement incentive plan for
state employees, and creates a workers' memorial fund.

ST. LOUIS POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

The bill makes technical corrections to the Deferred Retirement
Option Plan (DROP) for the St. Louis City Police Retirement
System.

The bill requires members of the St. Louis Police Department to
receive six weeks of paid vacation each year if members have at
least 30 years of service and are eligible to participate in the
DROP.

KANSAS CITY POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

Active members of the retirement board who are currently serving
as a police officer or a civilian employee can receive up to 10
days of paid leave to attend meetings and seminars as approved by
the board.  An early retirement incentive program is established
for police officers and civilian employees if the city covers
full actuarial costs to the system.  The bill provides a funeral
benefit of $1,000 for eligible civilian employees.

RETIREMENT SYSTEMS FOR HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES, THE
HIGHWAY PATROL, AND STATE EMPLOYEES

The bill makes the following changes to the Highways and
Transportation Employees' and Highway Patrol Retirement System
(HTEHPRS), Missouri State Employees' Retirement System (MOSERS)
and the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System, Year 2000
Plan (MSEP 2000):

(1)  The "80 and out" eligibility age is reduced from 50 years of
age to 48 years of age for members of HTEHPRS, MOSERS, and MSEP
2000;

(2)  Uniformed members of the State Highway Patrol who have
served as a non-federal, full-time public employee in Missouri
prior to becoming a member of HTEHPRS are allowed to purchase
prior credited service not to exceed four years.  This purchase
is subject to certain conditions;

(3)  Effective September 1, 2003, HTEHPRS members are prohibited
from requesting or applying for disability benefits allowed under
Subsection 1 of Section 104.110, RSMo.  The Board of Trustees is
authorized to contract for the provision of disability benefits.
HTEHPRS members can waive their right to receive any disability
benefit;

(4)  The purchase of prior credited service by members of MOSERS
and the MSEP 2000 who have served in the military is revised to
no longer require the filing of an affidavit;

(5)  Former and current members of the General Assembly are
allowed to elect simultaneous credited service in lieu of
receiving creditable service as a member of the General Assembly
if a former or current member becomes a state employee or state
officer.  This provision is effective August 28, 2003;

(6)  Members of the Board of Trustees of MOSERS are required to
file a financial disclosure form with the Missouri Ethics
Commission;

(7)  Members of certain retirement systems, including MOSERS and
MSEP 2000, can purchase additional life insurance benefits,
subject to certain conditions;

(8)  Certain employees who are earning creditable service under
the closed plan of MOSERS or the MSEP 2000 Plan administered
under MOSERS and who were transferred to the Department of
Transportation can elect to participate in the closed plan of
HTEHPRS or the MSEP 2000 administered by HTEHPRS.  The election
must be made within 90 days of July 1, 2003; and

(9)  Provisions pertaining to a division of marital benefits
order for an annuity paid under MSEP 2000 and the designation of
an agent for a beneficiary under MSEP 2000 who becomes disabled
are corrected.

TEACHING PERSONNEL AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS

The bill requires the State Board of Education to develop rules
to facilitate job-sharing positions for classroom teachers.  The
bill contains a definition for "job-sharing position" and
entitles teachers in these positions to certain employment and
retirement benefits.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AND LEGAL ADVISORS RETIREMENT SYSTEM

The bill prohibits any revisions to this retirement system
previously established by law.

STATE EMPLOYEES' MEDICAL AND RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PLAN

The bill contains provisions pertaining to medical insurance and
retirement incentives for state employees who are members of
HTEHPRS, MOSERS, or MSEP 2000 and are eligible for medical
coverage under the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan
(MCHCP).

In its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Allows a retiree to elect to continue coverage for himself
or herself and eligible dependents at the same cost as if the
retiree was an active employee for a maximum period of five years
or until the retiree is eligible for Medicare, whichever occurs
first;

(2)  Requires the costs for medical coverage for eligible
retirees to revert to the applicable rate after the five-year
period expires or when the retiree becomes eligible for Medicare;

(3)  Requires the governing body of any participating member
agency to elect to provide the medical coverage contained in the
bill in order for employees or retirees to be eligible to apply
the medical coverage to their current benefits;

(4)  Allows the governing boards of Truman State University,
Lincoln University, educational institutions listed in Section
174.020; the Highways and Transportation Commission; and the
Conservation Commission to elect to provide their employees or
retirees the same medical coverage as is contained in the bill.
Certain conditions of this provision will apply to the Highways
and Transportation Commission if the commission elects to
participate in the plan;

(5)  Allows current employees who are receiving creditable
service and are eligible to receive a normal annuity under
HTEHPRS or MOSERS, or a life and any temporary annuity under MSEP
2000, and whose annuity begins no later than September 1, 2003,
to be eligible to receive the medical coverage contained in the
bill;

(6)  Allows current employees who are eligible to receive a
normal annuity under HTEHPRS or MOSERS, or a life and any
temporary annuity under MSEP 2000, who apply for retirement and
whose annuity begins no later than September 1, 2003, to be
eligible to receive the medical coverage contained in the bill;

(7)  Allows employees who are eligible to receive lump-sum
payments under Section 104.625 or Section 104.1024, by January 1,
2004, to elect to receive these payments.  However, these
employees are prohibited from receiving a lump sum payment under
these sections after the effective date of the annuity
established by this incentive plan, or September 1, 2003;

(8)  Allows a retiree whose retirement annuity commenced on or
after February 1, 2003, but no later than September 1, 2003, to
be eligible to receive the medical coverage contained in the
bill;

(9)  Establishes a department rehiring cap of 25% for positions
that are vacated due to the election to retire.  Critical
positions, seasonal positions, or positions that are federally
funded may be exempt from this provision.  In addition, this
provision will not apply to Truman University, Lincoln
University, and educational institutions listed in Section
174.020;

(10)  Requires HTEHPRS and MOSERS to provide monthly tracking of
the effects of the medical coverage provided to eligible retirees
and the number of retirements resulting from the plan.  In
addition, the bill requires HTEHPRS and MOSERS to submit a
written report to the Governor, the Commissioner of the Office of
Administration, and the General Assembly by April 1, 2004.  The
report must examine required subject areas and the effects of the
incentive provisions contained in the bill.  The period the
report must cover is February 1, 2003, to January 31, 2004;

(11)  Requires the Office of Administration to provide monthly
tracking of the budgetary effects of the retirement plan in
addition to submitting a budgetary report concerning the effects
of the incentive provisions contained in the bill by April 1,
2004.  The subject areas the report must address are also
contained in the bill; and

(12)  Requires the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan to
provide monthly tracking of the  effects of state employee
retirements and to submit a report to the Governor and the
General Assembly by April 1, 2004.  The report must examine
required subject areas and certain effects of the incentive
provisions contained in the bill.

The bill contains an emergency clause which applies to the
retirement incentive plan.

WORKERS' MEMORIAL FUND

The bill allows individuals or corporations entitled to a state
tax refund to designate that a portion of their refund be
contributed to the Workers' Memorial Fund.  If not entitled to a
tax refund, individuals or corporations may make a contribution
along with their payment or send the contribution in separately.

This provision is effective for each tax year, beginning
January 1, 2003.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:13 am