OLYMPIA — The Washington Legislature has approved revisions to state law that will make it easier for law enforcement officers and firefighters in one tier of the state’s retirement system to use time they spent on authorized leave toward their retirement, regardless of whether they returned to work. 

Senate Bill 5306 passed both houses of the Washington Legislature unanimously and will affect law enforcement and firefighters in the LEOFF 2 tier of state government. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law Wednesday. Senator Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, the bill’s sponsor, said it will give qualifying professionals more flexibility if they want to retire. 

“This new law makes a change to this retirement system that will help LEOFF 2 members who go on authorized leave of absence, such as being on military duty, that could affect their service credits,” Holy said in a press release after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the bill. “It will help ensure they receive the retirement benefits they deserve.” 

Amanda Cecil, staff member for the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said during testimony on the bill that people in the LEOFF 2 system who return from an authorized leave of absence can buy credits equal to a maximum of two years of work. Those credits go toward their retirement.  

Previously, people who returned from a leave of absence and wanted to retire rather than go back to work couldn’t purchase those credits. With the change to the law, they are eligible to buy those credits. 

Cecil said analysis of the bill indicated it wouldn’t have much impact on the state budget. 

“For the purposes of the state budget, that equates to no cost, but what they’re actually saying is, there is an indeterminate cost to the system because of the purchase of additional service credit that would increase the lifetime benefits to eligible members,” Cecil said. “(That cost is) expected to be so small it would not increase the (benefit) rate that’s paid and therefore the cost to the state.” 

Quincy Police Department Chief Ryan Green said the QPD does have personnel in the LEOFF 2 system, but none who are in the military reserves or National Guard.  

Moses Lake Police Chief Dave Sands said the department does have officers who were deployed for military service and came back to work. But Cecil said this change only applies to people who want to retire after finishing their leave without coming back to work.

Steve Nelson, executive director of the LEOFF 2 retirement board, estimated it would affect about 40 people statewide each year. 

“It's a significant issue for them when they are unable to return to work and they can’t get that service credit under the (previous) law,” Nelson said in his Senate testimony.