The Senate Committee on Labor and Business on March 11 adopted a dash 2 amendment to Senate Bill 588 that specifies when the Public Employees Retirement Board must refer contested cases for a hearing when the member requesting the hearing is a police officer or firefighter and the contested case concerns disability retirement allowance or disability benefits.

The amendment also clarifies when a police officer or firefighter in the Public Employees Retirement System is considered disabled for purposes of receiving benefits and declares an emergency, making the measure effective on passage.

Whitney (committee staff) told the committee the dash 2 amendment “specifies when the public employees Retirement Board must refer a contested case for a hearing when the Public Employees Retirement System member requesting the hearing is a police officer or firefighter and the contested case is for disability retirement allowance or disability benefits.” The staff presentation also said the amendment has a minimal fiscal impact and no revenue impact.

Vice Chair Bonham moved adoption of the dash 2 amendment; there was no objection and the amendment was adopted by voice vote. Chair Taylor (pro tempore) subsequently moved that the bill, as amended, be sent to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion passed after the chair called for objections and none were raised. The committee noted Senators Meeks and Hayden will co-carry the measure to the floor.

The work session minutes show the committee handled the amendment and final referral by voice; no roll-call vote or recorded tallies were reported in the transcript.

The committee closed the work session on the measure after naming co-carriers and moved to the next items on the agenda.

Ending: The committee forwarded SB 588 as amended to the full Senate with a due-pass recommendation; the bill’s emergency clause would make any changes effective on passage if enacted.