HB2652.DOC

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that our state's police officers, firefighters, and Hawaii National Guard retirees are an invaluable asset to our community, retiring with exceptional skills public schools can benefit from. The current state pension and retirement system of chapter 88, Hawaii Revised Statutes, precludes retirees from receiving retirement and pension benefits if they accept further state employment, preventing highly qualified retired police officers, firefighters, and Hawaii National Guard retirees from serving community schools in permanent school security safety officer and school security attendant positions.

Ensuring safety in public schools is one of the most important responsibilities of the State. However, security positions are among the lowest paying in public schools, and additional incentives are needed to address increased security needs adequately.

The purpose of this Act is to allow Hawaii National Guard and police or firefighter retirees with pension and retirement benefits to receive their benefits while employed in school security safety officer and school security attendant positions within the department of education.

SECTION 2. Section 88-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"§88-9 Employment of retirants. (a) A retirant may not be employed by the State or by any county unless the retirant is reenrolled in the system pursuant to this chapter, or unless the employment, without reenrollment, is authorized by this section. A retirant whose employment without reenrollment in the system is authorized by this section shall acquire no service credit or retirement rights under this chapter with respect to the employment and shall not be considered to be in service for purposes of this chapter.

(b) Any retirant employed in violation of this section shall:

(1) Reimburse the system for any retirement allowance or other benefit received from the system during the period or periods of employment in violation of this section, plus interest thereon at the rate of eight per cent per annum;

(2) Pay the system an amount of money equal to the employee contributions that would otherwise have been paid during the period or periods of employment in violation of this section, plus interest thereon at the rate of eight per cent per annum; and

(3) Contribute toward reimbursement of the system for administrative expenses incurred in responding to the situation, to the extent that the retirant is determined by the executive director to be at fault.

(1) Pay to the system an amount of money equal to the employer contributions that would otherwise have been paid for the period or periods of employment in violation of this section, plus interest thereon at the rate of eight per cent per annum; and

(2) Contribute toward reimbursement of the system for administrative expenses incurred in responding to the situation, to the extent that the employer is determined by the executive director to be at fault.

(d) A retirant may be employed without reenrollment in the system and suffer no loss or interruption of benefits provided by the system or under chapter 87A if the retirant is employed:

(1) As an elective officer pursuant to section 88-42.6(c) or as a member of the legislature pursuant to section 88-73(d);

(2) As a juror or precinct official;

(3) As a part-time or temporary employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-43, as a session employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 88-54.2, as the president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii tourism authority excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section 201B-2, or as any other employee expressly excluded by law from membership in the system; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment; and

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement;

(4) In a position identified by the appropriate jurisdiction as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) Each employer shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability; or

(5) As a teacher, school security safety officer, school security attendant, or an administrator in a teacher shortage or heightened security concern area identified by the department of education or in a charter school or as a mentor for new classroom teachers; provided that:

(A) The retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior to the first day of reemployment;

(B) No agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after retirement; and

(C) The department of education or charter school shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability.

(e) This section does not waive any provision of chapter 76 or 89 that may be applicable to a position for which a retirant is employed pursuant to this section.

(f) No later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular legislative session, the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county shall submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the employment of retirants under paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (d), including the number and positions of retirants."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2652
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII