Archives - 104th Legislature
104th Legislature - 2015 & 2016
2016 Legislative Action
| Bill # | Description | Status |
| LB 236 All Plans |
LB 236 is a carryover bill from the 104th Legislature, first session. The bill provides for attachment or garnishment of retirement benefits when a plan member is convicted of or pleads no contest to a felony or misdemeanor and is subsequently found liable for civil damages after the effective date of the act. The bill exempts from garnishment any benefit or annuity payments "reasonably necessary for the support of the member or any of his or her beneficiaries." If the conviction is reversed, all benefits paid as civil damages would be forfeited and returned to the member. |
Indefinitely Postponed |
| LB 447 School |
As amended by AM1979 & AM2282: LB 447 removes the current statutory language allowing payment of disability retirement benefits to individuals who work less than 20 hours as a school employee. If passed, disability retirement benefits cease if a member returns to active service as a school employee after receiving disability retirement benefits or if a physician certifies the member is no longer disabled for service as a school employee. In addition, the bill proposes to remove the ½ year of service vesting for members who are actively employed on or over age 65. All members, regardless of age, would require a minimum of five years of service credit to vest in the plan. This provision would apply to:
AM2344 "cleanup" language. This bill also transfers investment authority from the OSERS Board of Trustees to the Nebraska Investment Council, and makes the Public Employees Retirement Board/NPERS the pass through agency for OSERS transactions. |
Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 467 Patrol |
As amended by AM2351: The bill creates a second tier of benefits for members joining the Nebraska State Patrol plan on or after 7/1/2016. This benefit tier would mirror the current plan with the following exceptions:
|
Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 484 County |
LB 484 would increase the current 4.5% member contribution rate to 6.75% for counties with a population over 100,000. The current employer contribution rate would remain at 6.75%. If passed, the proposed change would only affect Sarpy County members at this time. Provisions in the bill would apply to both current and incoming Sarpy County plan members. | Indefinitely Postponed |
| LB 551 Local Governmental Employees |
LB 551 proposes creating a new Cash Balance retirement plan for individuals who are employed by local governmental entities. Individuals already participating in existing local governmental plans would be given a one-time option to opt in and transfer their accounts. Vesting credit would be granted for service accrued under the prior plan. Contribution rates and account rates of return are not yet designated. An unspecified additional supplemental contribution would be required for police officers and firefighters employed by cities with populations of more than 5,000 up to 100,000. Vesting would occur after three years of plan participation or working for a participating employer up to age 55. Newly enrolled members would be able to apply for vesting credit for participation in another Nebraska governmental plan. Distribution options at retirement or termination would include an annuity, lump sum, or rollover. The bill would also add a new member representing the plan to the Public Employees Retirement Board. |
Indefinitely Postponed |
| LB 594 County (Law Enforcement) |
Under current legislation, counties with specified populations are required to create a supplemental retirement plan for commissioned law enforcement personnel. For populations in excess of 85,000, both the member and the county are required to contribute an additional 2% of salary to these accounts. For populations of 85,000 or less, the required member and employer contribution rate is 1%. LB 594 would insert the language "at least" in front of the named contribution rate thereby allowing the employees and employer to contribute an amount higher than the current percentage. | Indefinitely Postponed |
| LB 655 Firefighters |
LB 655 proposes to create a new Cities of the First Class Firefighters Cash Balance retirement plan for firefighters employed by cities with populations of more than 5,000 up to 100,000. The bill would offer employees already participating in the Cities of the First Class Defined Benefit plan a one-time opportunity to keep their current retirement plan or join the Cash Balance plan. Participants would contribute 6.5% of compensation with a 200% employer match. Accounts would receive a rate of return based on the Federal Mid-term rate plus 1.5%, or a minimum of 5%, whichever is greater. Vesting time frames are incremental. Members with less than four years of plan participation are not vested. Starting at four years of plan participation, members will be vested at 40% of the employer match. At five years, 60% vested. At 6 years, 80% vested. At 7 years, fully vested. Newly enrolled members would be able to apply for vesting credit for participation in another Nebraska governmental plan. Distribution options at retirement or termination would include an annuity, lump sum, or rollover. The bill would also add a new member representing the plan to the Public Employees Retirement Board. The bill contains an emergency clause and would take effect when passed and approved according to law. As amended by AM2178: Allows members of current plans a period to opt in to the new Cash Balance plan. Creates a death and disability program managed by the participating cities and funded by an additional 0.5% member contribution to a separate fund. |
Indefinitely Postponed |
| LB 790 Judges & School |
The bill alphabetizes the statutory definitions for the Judges and School plans. | Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 803 Judges |
This bill updates the portion of the $42 clerk of the district court docket fee remitted to the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges. Currently, $2 of the docket fee is remitted to the Judges Retirement Fund. This bill increases this amount to $4 effective 7/1/2016. On 7/1/2017, this amount increases to $6. | Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 922 Retirement Board |
The bill staggers the terms of board members in order to prevent multiple terms from expiring in the same year. In addition, the bill clarifies that the Governor has the authority to remove members of the Public Employees Retirement Board "for cause after notice and an opportunity to be heard." | Amended into LB 447 |
| LB 986 Retirement Board |
In addition to annual actuarial reports, this bill requires an experience study to review actuarial assumptions be conducted at least once every four years, or at the request of the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee. If the Public Employees Retirement Board does not adopt all of the recommendations in the experience study "the boardshall provide to the committee within ten business days after the board's decision at a public meeting a written explanation describing the board's analysis and factors considered in reaching its decision." In addition, the bill requires a confidential, initial and final draft of actuarial reports and experience studies be provided to the Governor and the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee. |
Amended into LB 447 |
| LB 1069 All Plans |
This bill requires the Nebraska State Investment Officer to:
|
Indefinitely Postponed |
2015 Legislative Action
| Bill # | Description | Status |
| LB 40 County, Judges, Patrol, State |
LB 40 was introduced at the request of the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement System. It grants the Public Employees Retirement Board the authority to issue subpoenas when there is a need to investigate an overpayment of a benefit. AM224 removes unconstitutional benefit garnishment provisions added in 2012 by LB 916. |
Passed and Approved by Governor AM224 Adopted |
| LB 41 County |
LB 41 would increase the population cap designated for participation in the Nebraska County Retirement Plan from 200,000 to 250,000. | Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 236 All Plans |
LB 236 would provide for attachment or garnishment of retirement benefits when a plan member is convicted of or pleads no contest to a felony or misdemeanor and is subsequently found liable for civil damages. The bill would exempt from garnishment any benefit or annuity payments "reasonably necessary for the support of the member or any of his or her beneficiaries." The legislation would apply to persons convicted and found liable for civil damages prior to, on, or after the effective date of this act. If the conviction is reversed, all benefits paid as civil damages would be forfeited and returned to the member |
In Committee |
| LB 448 School |
Retirement Committee Priority Bill As amended by AM1555, the provisions of LB 448 would affect the Class V (Omaha) School Retirement plan. Language that would have transferred Omaha members to the Nebraska Public School Retirement plan has been removed from the bill. |
Bracket (delayed) to 4/15/2016 |
| LB 467 Patrol |
LB 467 proposes Patrol members who elect to participate in the DROP option on or after 7/1/2020 would be required to continue making retirement contributions while enrolled in DROP. In addition, the bill would create a second tier of benefits for members joining the Nebraska State Patrol plan on or after 7/1/2015. This benefit tier would mirror the current plan with the following exceptions:
|
In Committee |
| LB 468 Judges |
Retirement Committee Priority Bill LB 468 (as amended by AM1172 & AM1582) proposes a second tier of benefits for members joining the Nebraska Judges plan on or after 7/1/2015. This benefit tier would mirror the current plan with the following exceptions:
In addition, this bill would modify funding of the plan. Under current statute, $2 of the Nebraska court fee is allocated to the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges. LB 468 would increase this allocation for county courts to $4 as of 7/1/2015. On 7/1/2017, the county court allocation would increase to $6. The separate $6 court fee assessed specifically for the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges would not be altered by this legislation.
|
Passed and Approved by Governor |
| LB 484 County |
LB 484 would increase the current 4.5% member contribution rate to 6.75% for counties with a population over 100,000. The current employer contribution rate would remain at 6.75%. If passed, the proposed change would only affect Sarpy County members at this time. Provisions in the bill would apply to both current and incoming Sarpy County plan members. | In Committee |
| LB 551 Local Governmental Employees |
LB 551 proposes creating a new Cash Balance retirement plan for individuals who are employed by local governmental entities. Individuals already participating in existing local governmental plans would be given a one-time option to opt in and transfer their accounts. Vesting credit would be granted for service accrued under the prior plan. Contribution rates and account rates of return are not yet designated. An unspecified additional supplemental contribution would be required for police officers and firefighters employed by cities with populations of more than 5,000 up to 100,000. Vesting would occur after three years of plan participation or working for a participating employer up to age 55. Newly enrolled members would be able to apply for vesting credit for participation in another Nebraska governmental plan. Distribution options at retirement or termination would include an annuity, lump sum, or rollover. The bill would also add a new member representing the plan to the Public Employees Retirement Board. |
In Committee |
| LB 594 County (Law Enforcement) |
Under current legislation, counties with specified populations are required to create a supplemental retirement plan for commissioned law enforcement personnel. For populations in excess of 85,000, both the member and the county are required to contribute an additional 2% of salary to these accounts. For populations of 85,000 or less, the required member and employer contribution rate is 1%. LB 594 would insert the language "at least" in front of the named contribution rate thereby allowing the employees and employer to contribute an amount higher than the current percentage. | In Committee |
| LB 602 Judges |
LB 602 proposes to add the court fee assessed for the Nebraska Retirement Fund for Judges to pretrial diversion programs. AM308 would remove the original language in the bill increasing the fee from $6 to $8. |
Placed on General File AM308 Pending |
| LB 655 Firefighters |
LB 655 proposes to create a new Cities of the First Class Firefighters Cash Balance retirement plan for firefighters employed by cities with populations of more than 5,000 up to 100,000. The bill would offer employees already participating in the Cities of the First Class Defined Benefit plan a one-time opportunity to keep their current retirement plan or join the Cash Balance plan. Participants would contribute 6.5% of compensation with a 200% employer match. Accounts would receive a rate of return based on the Federal Mid-term rate plus 1.5%, or a minimum of 5%, whichever is greater. Vesting time frames are incremental. Members with less than four years of plan participation are not vested. Starting at four years of plan participation, members will be vested at 40% of the employer match. At five years, 60% vested. At 6 years, 80% vested. At 7 years, fully vested. Newly enrolled members would be able to apply for vesting credit for participation in another Nebraska governmental plan. Distribution options at retirement or termination would include an annuity, lump sum, or rollover. The bill would also add a new member representing the plan to the Public Employees Retirement Board. The bill contains an emergency clause and would take effect when passed and approved according to law. |
In Committee |