PUBLIC
SAFETY PERSONNEL RETIREMENT SYSTEM
2004 ENACTED LEGISLATION
***The 46th Legislature, Second Regular Session,
adjourned sine die Wednesday, May 26, 2004 at 9:58 pm.�
The following laws will go into effect August 25, 2004.***
H 2050� Firefighter Cancer Insurance; PSPRS
A former firefighter who was diagnosed with cancer subsequent to his becoming a member of the PSPRS and whose eligibility to receive insurance benefits is expiring (the system pays premiums for retirees at a rate of 5 months of coverage per year of service) may elect to continue coverage by paying the cost of the premium as determined by the fund manager.� Additionally, the amount the fund can charge participating employers is capped at $180 per fire fighter employee.�
Sponsor: Rep. Huppenthal
Current Action: 1/12 referred to House gov-ret; 1/13 from House gov-ret do pass; 1/15 from House rules with a technical amendment.� House COW approved with the rules tech amendment; 1/22 passed House 57-0; ready for Senate; 3/1 referred to Senate fin; 3/9 from Senate fin with amend #3628; 3/23 from Senate rules okay; 4/1 Senate COW approved with amend #3628; 4/6 passed Senate 29-0; ready for House action on Senate amendments; 4/27 House concurred in Senate amendments and passed on final reading 54-1; ready for governor; 5/3 signed by governor. Chap. 177, Laws 2004.
H 2081� Retirement; PSPRS, Disability Offset
A member
receiving a pension for "accidental disability" will no longer have
the amount of the pension reduced if he/she finds work. The statutory reduction
for those whose disability is classified as "ordinary" remains
unchanged.
Sponsor: Rep. Huppenthal
Current Action: 1/14
referred to House gov-ret; 1/20 House gov-ret amended; 1/21 from House gov-ret
with amend #3013; 1/29 from House rules okay; House COW approved with amend
#3013; 2/9 passed House 58-0; ready for Senate; 3/1 referred to Senate fin;
3/16 from Senate fin with amend #3857; 3/23 from Senate rules okay; 3/31 Senate
COW approved with amend #3857; 4/1 passed Senate 28-0; ready for House action
on Senate amendments; 4/12 House concurred in Senate amendments and passed on
final reading 57-0; ready for governor; 4/16 signed by governor. Chap. 91,
Laws 2004.
H 2433� Health Care District; Self Insurance
Allows special health care districts and other special districts in Maricopa County whose governing board is the county board of supervisors to establish a self-insurance program.
Sponsor: Rep. Hanson
Current Action: 1/28 referred to House gov-ret, fin-ins; 2/10 from House gov-ret with amend #3137; 3/3 from House fin-ins with amend #3502; 3/9 from House rules okay; 3/10 House COW approved with amend #3137 and #3502; note short title change; 3/11 passed House 40-18; ready for Senate; 3/18 referred to Senate gov; 4/7 from Senate gov do pass; 4/12 to Senate consent calendar; 4/13 from Senate rules okay; 4/15 passed Senate 26-3; ready for governor; 4/23 signed by governor. Chap. 141, Laws 2004.
H 2542� Retirement; Pensions, Health Insurance
1) Creates a �Catastrophic Disability� for members injured in the line of duty who cannot engage in gainful employment.� For the first 60 months, the benefit is equal to 90% of the member�s average monthly benefit compensation before termination of employment.� After 60 months the benefit is the greater of 62.5% of the member�s average monthly benefit compensation before termination of employment OR computed in the same manner as a normal pension using the member�s average monthly benefit compensation before termination of employment and the member�s actual credited service; 2) provides that a member�s pension may be subject to restitution and fines imposed by a court if the member is convicted of or discharged because of theft, embezzlement, fraud or misappropriation of property under the control of the employer; 3) effective June 30, 2008, extends medical reimbursement subsidy to out-of-state retired members and survivors who purchase their own insurance.� Those benefiting from the insurance subsidy prior to June 30, 2008 will see no change in the amount they are eligible to receive, however those electing to purchase their own insurance for the first time after June 30, 2008 will be allowed payment of no more than twenty-five dollars per month; 4) requires System to provide a final report of its health insurance study to the certain elected officials and state agencies.��
Sponsor: Rep. Huppenthal
Current Action: 2/4 referred to House gov-ret; 2/18 from House gov-ret do pass; 2/25 to House consent calendar; 2/26 from House rules okay; 2/26 stricken from House consent calendar by Huppenthal; 3/4 House COW approved with floor amend #3610; 3/10 passed House 56-4; ready for Senate; 3/18 referred to Senate fin; 4/5 Senate fin held: 4/12 from Senate fin with amend #4273; 4/28 from Senate rules okay; 5/19 retained on Senate COW calendar; 5/24 Senate COW approved with amend #4273 and floor amend #4603, #4604, #4605 and #4606; 5/25 passed Senate 29-0; ready for House action on Senate amendments. House refused to concur in Senate amendments and named Rep. Huppenthal, Boone and Prezelski to a FREE conference committee. Senate conferees awaited; 5/25 Senate named Sen. Martin, Cheuvront and Harper to the FREE conference committee; 5/26 Sen. Garcia replaces Cheuvront on conference committee. Note short title change; 5/26 Senate adopted conference report #4645. House adopted conference report #4645 and passed on final reading 56-0. Passed Senate on final reading 26-0; ready for governor; 6/3 signed by governor. Chap. 325, Laws 2004.
�
S 1230� Airport Police Officers
In a definition that applies to all statutes and laws of the state, unless required otherwise by context, the meaning of �peace officer� is expanded to include those appointed by the governing body of a public airport who have �received a certificate� from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
Sponsor: Sen. Bee
Current Action: 1/29 referred to Senate jud, fin; 2/4
withdrawn from Senate fin; 2/19 from Senate jud do pass; 2/23 to Senate consent
calendar; 2/24 from Senate rules okay; 2/26 passed Senate 28-0; ready for
House; 3/4 referred to House trans, jud; 3/15 from House trans do pass; 3/25
from House jud do pass; 3/31 to House consent calendar; 4/1 from House rules
okay; 4/6 PASSED house 57-0; ready for governor; 4/13 signed by governor.
Chap. 82, Laws 2004.
S 1343� State Investment; Terrorist Ties
The state treasurer and the retirement system fund manager must report annually to the Legislature on the economic impact of global security risks of investments under their management, including a list of companies in their portfolios known or suspected of doing business in terrorist-sponsoring countries, the total amount invested in each company and an assessment of the level of global security risk based on the �prudent investor rule.�
Sponsor: Sen. Verschoor
Current Action: 2/4
referred to Senate fin; 3/1 Senate fin held; 3/4 from Senate fin with amend
#3530; 3/9 from Senate rules okay; 3/11 Senate COW approved with amend #3530; 3/16
passed Senate 23-7; ready for House; 3/22 referred to House gov-ret, fin-ins;
3/30 from House gov-ret do pass; 3/30 House fin-ins held; 4/7 from House
fin-ins with amend #4185; 4/15 from House rules okay; 4/15 House COW approved
with amend #4185; passed House 49-6; ready for Senate action on House
amendments; 5/3 Senate concurred in House amendments and passed on final
reading 27-0; ready for governor; 5/10 signed by governor. Chap. 217, Laws
2004.
S 1366� Administration Dept Self-Insurance
If the state Administration Dept self-insures, it must include all mandated health coverage benefits as well as provide for grievance procedures for issues such as: treatment denials, creditable coverage determinations, dissatisfaction with care, and access to care.
Sponsor: Sen. Martin
Current Action: 2/5
referred to Senate fin; 2/17 from Senate fin do pass; 2/23 to Senate consent
calendar; 2/23 stricken from Senate consent calendar by Leff; 2/24 from Senate
rules okay; 2/26 Senate COW approved with floor amendment #3414; 3/1 passed
Senate 27-0; ready for House; 3/4 referred to House gov-ret; 3/9 from House
gov-ret do pass; 3/31 to House consent calendar; 3/31 stricken from House
consent calendar by Rep. Carpenter; 4/1 from House rules okay; 4/8 retained on
House COW calendar; 4/26 House COW approved with floor amend #4404; 4/29 passed
House 49-2; ready for Senate action on House amendments; Senate refused to
concur in House amendments and named Sen. Martin, Garcia and Leff to a FREE
conference committee; 5/10 House named Rep. Huppenthal, Carpenter and Loredo to
FREE conference committee; 5/26 House adopted conference report #4638. Senate
adopted conference report #4638 and passed on final reading 28-0. Passed House
on final reading 43-13; ready for governor; 6/3 signed by governor. Chap. 335,
Laws 2004.