House Study Bill 135 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WAGNER) A BILL FOR An Act allowing certain cities to adopt and establish an 1 alternative benefits retirement system for police officers 2 and fire fighters. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1676HC (2) 84 aw/sc
H.F. _____ Section 1. NEW SECTION . 411.3A Defined contribution 1 retirement system —— local government option. 2 1. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each 3 city participating in the retirement system for police 4 officers and fire fighters, as described in section 411.2, 5 shall have the option to adopt and establish, by ordinance, 6 an alternative benefits retirement system for police officers 7 and fire fighters, in lieu of participation in the retirement 8 system for police officers and fire fighters created within 9 this chapter. Participation in such an alternative benefits 10 retirement system, if adopted, shall be mandatory for all 11 applicable employees appointed on or after the effective date 12 of the ordinance. 13 b. The alternative benefits retirement system shall be 14 an employer-sponsored defined contribution plan requiring 15 mandatory employer contributions that meet the requirements of 16 section 401(a) or section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code. 17 2. The city shall select a provider of the alternative 18 benefits retirement system that is a financial institution 19 capable of providing bundled services for the retirement 20 system, including but not limited to administration, investment 21 management, employee education, and recordkeeping. In 22 selecting a provider, the city shall place primary emphasis on 23 the reasonableness of services in relation to cost, the ability 24 and experience of the provider in providing bundled retirement 25 services to political subdivisions, the financial stability 26 of the provider, and the ability of the provider to provide 27 services as required by this section. 28 3. Upon termination of employment as a police officer or 29 fire fighter employed by a city, the police officer or fire 30 fighter shall be eligible to receive a benefit payable in at 31 least any of the following forms: 32 a. Payment of all or part of the police officer’s or 33 fire fighter’s account balance in the alternative benefits 34 retirement system in a lump sum. 35 -1- LSB 1676HC (2) 84 aw/sc 1/ 2
H.F. _____ b. Payment based on the police officer’s or fire fighter’s 1 account balance in the alternative benefits retirement system 2 in monthly, quarterly, or annual installments over a fixed 3 reasonable period of time, not exceeding the life expectancy of 4 the police officer or fire fighter and the police officer’s or 5 fire fighter’s beneficiary, if applicable. 6 c. Payment based on the police officer’s or fire fighter’s 7 account balance in the form of a single life or joint life and 8 survivorship annuity. 9 EXPLANATION 10 This bill allows a city to adopt and establish, by ordinance, 11 a defined contribution retirement plan as an alternative 12 benefits retirement system for police officers and fire 13 fighters. 14 The bill provides that each city participating in the 15 statewide fire and police retirement system, created in Code 16 chapter 411, may establish an alternative benefits retirement 17 system for police officers and fire fighters, in lieu of 18 participation in the statewide fire and police retirement 19 system. 20 The bill requires that such an alternative benefits 21 retirement system be an employer-sponsored defined contribution 22 plan that meets the requirements of either Code section 401(a) 23 or section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code. 24 The bill provides that a city must select a provider 25 that meets certain requirements related to administration, 26 investment management, employee education, and record keeping, 27 among other things. The bill also provides certain guidelines 28 for the selection of a provider. 29 -2- LSB 1676HC (2) 84 aw/sc 2/ 2