Title 41 — Title 41 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS

The board of trustees herein, in addition to other powers herein granted, shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses to testify before it on all matters connected with the operation of this chapter, and its chair or any member of said board may administer oaths to suc…

The local board shall make provisions for reimbursing regularly licensed practicing physicians and other medical staff who examine participants making application for membership. Physicians and other medical staff shall perform such services and operations and render all medical …

The local board shall initially hear and decide all applications for relief or retirement pensions under this chapter, subject to review by, or appeal by the proper person to, the state board where decision on such review or appeal shall be final and conclusive.[ 1999 c 148 s 11;…

A majority of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum, and no business shall be transacted when a majority is not present, and no claim shall be allowed where a majority of the board has not voted favorably thereon.[ 1945 c 261 s 13; Rem. Supp. 1945 s 9578-27. Prior: 1935…

A local board may appoint a guardian whenever and wherever the claim of a participant or his or her beneficiary would, in the opinion of the local board, be best served by the appointment. The local board shall have full power to make and direct the payments under this chapter to…

(1)(a) Whenever a participant becomes physically or mentally disabled, injured, or sick, in consequence or as the result of the performance of his or her duties, so as to be wholly prevented from engaging in each and every duty of his or her regular occupation, business, or profe…

(1) One of the primary purposes of this section is to enable injured participants to return to their regular occupation, business, or profession, or to engage in any occupation or perform any work for compensation or profit. To this end, the state board shall utilize the services…

(1)(a) Whenever a participant dies as the result of injuries received, or sickness contracted in consequence or as the result of the performance of his or her duties, the board of trustees shall order and direct the payment from the principal fund of (i) the sum of two hundred fo…

(1) Except as provided in RCW 41.24.410, whenever any participant has been a member and served honorably for a period of ten years or more as an active member in any capacity, of any regularly organized fire department or law enforcement agency of any municipality in this state, …

(1) At any time prior to or upon retiring and prior to receiving any pension disbursements, a participant is allowed to:(a) Purchase retirement pension coverage as provided in subsection (2) of this section for years of service credited prior to their enrollment in the pension sy…

Before beginning to receive the retirement pension provided for in RCW 41.24.170, the participant shall elect, in a writing filed with the state board, to have the retirement pension paid under either option 1 or 2, with option 2 calculated so as to be actuarially equivalent to o…

Payments to persons who are now receiving, or who may hereafter receive any disability or retirement payments under the provisions of chapter 41.24 RCW shall be computed in accordance with the last act enacted by the legislature relative thereto: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That nothing he…

The provisions of *this act are intended to be remedial and procedural and any benefits heretofore paid to recipients hereunder pursuant to any previous act are retroactively included and authorized as part of *this act.[ 1959 c 9 s 2.]Notes:*Reviser's note: "this act" appears in…

The board of trustees of any municipal corporation shall direct payment from the principal fund in the following cases:(1) To any participant, upon his or her request, upon attaining the age of sixty-five years, who, for any reason, is not qualified to receive the monthly retirem…

Any monthly pension, payable under this chapter, which will not amount to fifty dollars may be converted into a lump sum payment equal to the actuarial equivalent of the monthly pension. The conversion may be made either upon written application to the state board and shall rest …

The filing of reports of enrollment shall be prima facie evidence of the service of the participants therein listed for the year of such report as to service rendered subsequent to July 6, 1945. Proof of service of firefighters [participants] prior to that date shall be by docume…

The aggregate term of service of any participant need not be continuous nor need it be confined to a single fire department or law enforcement agency nor a single municipality in this state to entitle such participant to a retirement pension if the participant has been duly enrol…

A participant shall not receive relief for disability, sickness, or injuries received in the performance of his or her duties, unless there is filed with the board of trustees a report of accident, which report shall be subscribed to by the claimant, the head of the department, a…

(1) If an injured volunteer seeks damages from a third party, the state board may also seek recovery of actual costs from the responsible third party. A volunteer seeking damages from a third party is required to notify the state board about the legal proceeding.(2) The state boa…

Whenever any participant becomes injured, disabled, or sick in consequence or as the result of the performance of his or her duties by reason of which he or she is confined to any hospital or other medical facility, an amount not exceeding the daily ward rate of the hospital or r…

Upon the death of any participant resulting from injuries or sickness in consequence or as the result of the performance of his or her duties, the board of trustees shall authorize the issuance of a voucher for the sum of two thousand dollars, and upon the death of any participan…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6346-S.SL) ***The right of any person to any future payment under the provisions of this chapter shall not be transferable or assignable at law or in equity, and none of the moneys paid or payable or the rights existing under this chapter, shall be sub…

(1) If the state board or the secretary makes payments to a spouse or ex spouse to the extent expressly provided for in any court decree of dissolution or legal separation or in any court order or court-approved property settlement agreement incident to a court decree of dissolut…

The state board for volunteer firefighters and reserve officers is created to consist of five members who are participants under this chapter, at least three of whom are not receiving relief or retirement pension payments under this chapter, no two of whom shall be from the same …

The state board shall hold regular semiannual meetings in April and October of each year, and special meetings not more than once monthly at such times and places as may be called by the chair or by two of its members. No action shall be taken by the state board without the appro…

Each member of the state board shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240. Each member shall also receive travel expenses, including going to and from meetings of the state board or other authorized business of the state board, in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.0…

The attorney general shall be the legal advisor for the state board.[ 1999 c 148 s 24; 1955 c 263 s 5.]

The state board shall:(1) Generally supervise and control the administration of this chapter;(2) Promulgate, amend, or repeal rules and regulations not inconsistent with this chapter for the purpose of effecting a uniform and efficient manner of carrying out the provisions of thi…

All expenses incurred by the state board shall be accomplished by vouchers signed by the secretary and one member of the state board and issued to the persons entitled thereto and sent to the proper state agency. The proper state agency shall issue a warrant on the principal fund…

The secretary shall maintain an office at Olympia at a place to be provided, wherein the secretary shall:(1) Keep a record of all proceedings of the state board, which shall be public;(2) Maintain a record of all members of the pension fund, including such pertinent information r…

The state actuary shall provide actuarial services for the state board.[ 1999 c 148 s 28; 1989 c 91 s 25.]Notes:Effective date—1989 c 91: See note following RCW 41.24.010.

An emergency medical service district board of trustees is created to administer this chapter in every county maintaining a regularly organized emergency medical service district. The emergency medical service district board shall consist of two of the members of the county legis…

The chair of the county legislative authority, or the chair's designee, shall be chair of the emergency medical service district board of trustees, and the county auditor, or the auditor's designee, shall be the secretary-treasurer of the emergency medical service district board …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, any municipality may make provision by appropriate legislation and payment of fees required by *RCW 41.24.030(1) solely for the purpose of enabling any reserve officer to enroll u…

Credit for service as a reserve officer shall not be counted for purposes of RCW 41.24.170 except as stated in this section: Within one year of an election to cover reserve officers under the retirement provisions of this chapter, the municipality must elect, on a one-time basis,…

A reserve officer shall not receive a retirement benefit under this chapter unless he or she completes at least three years of service after July 23, 1995.[ 1995 c 11 s 8.]

A municipality employing reserve officers may adopt appropriate legislation extending the relief provisions of this chapter to its reserve officers. The relief provisions of this chapter may not be extended to reserve officers if the municipality has extended industrial insurance…

A municipality that adopts appropriate legislation extending the relief provisions of this chapter to its reserve officers shall create a reserve officer board of trustees to administer this chapter composed as follows:(1) A county reserve officer board of trustees shall consist …

(1) Any tax liability accruing to members or beneficiaries of a plan that results directly from chapter 73, Laws of 2023 will be paid by the appropriate principal funds.(2) The state board may by rule establish a process that ensures tax penalties are paid by the principal fund f…

The state board is instructed to administer chapter 73, Laws of 2023 in a way that neither reduces benefits, nor grants additional benefits, for members or beneficiaries of the plan.[ 2023 c 73 s 4.]Notes:Finding—Intent—2023 c 73: See note following RCW 41.24.800.

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***RCW 41.26.010 through 41.26.062 shall apply to members of plan 1 and plan 2.[ 1992 c 72 s 2; 1991 c 35 s 12; 1989 c 273 s 10; 1985 c 102 s 5; 1979 ex.s. c 249 s 1; 1977 ex.s. c 294 s 18.]Notes:Recodification ratified—Correction of statut…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Washington Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Act."[ 1969 ex.s. c 209 s 1.]

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for an actuarial reserve system for the payment of death, disability, and retirement benefits to law enforcement officers and firefighters, and to beneficiaries of such employees, thereby enabling such employees to provide for themselves …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***As used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:(1) "Accumulated contributions" means the employee's contributions made by a member, including any amount paid under RCW 41.50.165(2), plus accrued in…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***The term "minimum medical and health standards" means minimum medical and health standards adopted by the department under this chapter.[ 1991 c 35 s 14; 1971 ex.s. c 257 s 2.]Notes:Intent—1991 c 35: See note following RCW 41.26.005.Purp…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***The Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system is hereby created for firefighters and law enforcement officers.(1) Notwithstanding *RCW 41.26.030(20), all firefighters and law enforcement officers employed a…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law after February 19, 1974 no law enforcement officer or firefighter, may become eligible for coverage in the pension system established by this chapter, until the individual has met and has be…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***By July 31, 1971, the *retirement board shall adopt minimum medical and health standards for membership coverage into the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system act. In adopting such standards the *retir…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***Nothing in RCW 41.26.035, 41.26.045 and 41.26.046 shall apply to any firefighters or law enforcement officers who are employed as such on or before August 1, 1971, as long as they continue in such employment; nor to promotional appointme…