Session of 2000
         
HOUSE BILL No. 3044
         
By Committee on Appropriations
         
3-20
         

10             AN  ACT concerning retirement; relating to employees of the state board
11             of regents; tax sheltered annuities; amending K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 74-
12             4925 and 74-4925e and repealing the existing sections.
13      
14       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
15             Section  1. K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 74-4925 is hereby amended to read as
16       follows: 74-4925. (1) The state board of regents shall:
17             (a) Assist all those members of the faculty and other persons who are
18       employed by the state board of regents or by educational institutions
19       under its management and who are in the unclassified service under the
20       Kansas civil service act as provided in subsection (1)(f) of K.S.A. 75-2935
21       and amendments thereto, except health care employees, as defined by
22       subsection (1)(f) of K.S.A. 75-2935 and amendments thereto, in the pur-
23       chase of retirement annuities for their service rendered after December
24       31, 1961. Effective on the first day of the first payroll period commencing
25       with or following July 1, 1994, county extension agents employed by Kan-
26       sas state university under K.S.A. 2-615 and amendments thereto shall be
27       eligible for assistance by the state board of regents in the purchase of
28       retirement annuities under this section. Effective on the first day of the
29       first payroll period commencing with or following July 1, 2000, county
30       extension agents, extension specialists and extension administrators em-
31       ployed by the Kansas state university extension and research program
32       with benefits provided by the civil service retirement system, shall be
33       eligible for assistance by the state board of regents in the purchase of
34       retirement annuities under this section. The state board of regents shall
35       not assist any such person who is employed after December 31, 1961,
36       until such person has been employed for a waiting period of at least one
37       year except that (i) the state board of regents may assist any newly em-
38       ployed person immediately if at the time of the commencement of em-
39       ployment the person is covered by a valid retirement annuity contract
40       issued by a company described in subsection (2) which was entered into
41       pursuant to a retirement pension plan adopted for faculty members or
42       other persons, or both, employed by an institution of higher education
43       and to which such person or such person's employer on such person's


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  1       behalf has been making contributions for at least one year, and (ii) all
  2       periods of employment with (A) participating employers under the Kansas
  3       public employees retirement system, for which employment participating
  4       service credit accrued, or (B) institutions of higher education in other
  5       states for which employment retirement benefits accrued under a retire-
  6       ment system or plan provided for such employment, shall be credited
  7       toward satisfaction of such one-year waiting period if served, in either
  8       case, during the five years immediately preceding employment with the
  9       state board of regents or with an educational institution under its man-
10       agement in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act as
11       provided in subsection (1)(f) of K.S.A. 75-2935 and amendments thereto,
12       in addition to such employment with the state board of regents or with
13       an educational institution under its management; no period of employ-
14       ment as a student employee, as a seasonal or temporary employee or as
15       a part-time employee, whose employment requires less than 1,000 hours
16       of work per year, shall be credited toward the one-year waiting period
17       under subsection (1)(a); this act shall not apply to persons employed in
18       such temporary and part-time positions designated by the state board of
19       regents as exceptions hereto;
20             (b)  (i) except as provided in subsection (b)(ii), require such members
21       of the faculty and others described in subsection (1)(a) who are so assisted
22       by the state board of regents to contribute an amount toward the purchase
23       of such retirement annuities of 5.5% of their salaries, such contributions
24       to be made through payroll deductions and on a pretax basis; and
25             (ii) require county extension agents, extension specialists and exten-
26       sion administrators with benefits provided by the civil service retirement
27       system as described in subsection (1)(a) who are assisted by the state
28       board of regents to contribute an amount toward the purchase of such
29       retirement annuities of 4% of their salaries, such contributions to be made
30       through payroll deductions and on a pretax basis;
31             (c)  (i) except as provided in subsection (c)(ii), contribute an amount
32       toward the purchase of such retirement annuities equal to the percentage
33       amount, as prescribed by K.S.A. 74-4925e and amendments thereto, of
34       the total amount of the salaries on which such members of the faculty
35       and others described in subsection (1)(a) contribute during such period
36       for which the contribution of the state board of regents is made; and
37             (ii) contribute an amount toward the purchase of such retirement
38       annuities equal to the percentage amount, as prescribed by section 2, and
39       amendments thereto, of the total amount of the salaries on which such
40       county extension agents, extension specialists and extension administra-
41       tors with benefits provided by the civil service retirement system as de-
42       scribed in subsection (1)(a) contribute during such period for which the
43       contribution of the state board of regents is made;


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  1             (d) provide, under such rules and regulations as the state board of
  2       regents may adopt, for the retirement of any such member of the faculty
  3       or other person described in subsection (1)(a) on account of age or con-
  4       dition of health, retirement of such member of the faculty or other person
  5       described in subsection (1)(a) on account of age to be not earlier than the
  6       55th birthday and prior to January 1, 1994, not later than the end of the
  7       academic year following the 70th year. On and after January 1, 1994, there
  8       shall be no mandatory retirement on account of age. Any person who
  9       retires under this section and who receives benefits from the Kansas pub-
10       lic employees retirement system for prior service credit shall have such
11       benefits calculated in accordance with the applicable provisions of K.S.A.
12       74-4914 and 74-4915 and amendments thereto.
13             (2) For the purposes of this section the state board of regents may
14       contract with:
15             (a) Any life insurance company authorized to do business in this state;
16       or
17             (b) any life insurance company organized and operated without profit
18       to any private shareholder or individual exclusively for the purpose of
19       aiding and strengthening educational institutions by issuing insurance and
20       annuity contracts only to or for the benefit of such institution and indi-
21       viduals engaged in the services of such institutions, whether or not such
22       company is authorized to do business in Kansas. No premium tax or in-
23       come tax shall be due or payable on such annuity contract or contracts
24       for such retirement programs issued by a company described in this sub-
25       section (2)(b), except that neither the purchase nor the issuance of such
26       retirement annuities from or by a company described in this subsection
27       (2)(b) shall constitute the effecting of a contract of insurance.
28             (3)  (a) Such member of the faculty or other person described in sub-
29       section (1)(a) shall also be a member of the Kansas public employees
30       retirement system, but only for the purpose of granting retirement ben-
31       efits based on prior service only which was rendered prior to January 1,
32       1962, which shall be credited to the member as provided in subsection
33       (1) of K.S.A. 74-4913 and amendments thereto, except that such member
34       of the faculty or other person described in subsection (1)(a) who was
35       employed prior to July 1, 1962, who has not yet retired and who is em-
36       ployed on July 1, 1988, on an academic year contract, shall receive credit
37       for 12 months of prior service for each nine months of prior service for
38       which such member or person was employed on an academic year con-
39       tract prior to July 1, 1962. For the purpose of determining eligibility for
40       a vested benefit, service by such a member of the faculty or other person
41       after December 31, 1961, shall be construed to be credited service under
42       subsection (2) of K.S.A. 74-4917 and amendments thereto.
43             (b) Any member of the faculty or other person described in subsec-


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  1       tion (1)(a) who retires after 10 years of continuous service immediately
  2       preceding retirement shall be granted a retirement benefit based on prior
  3       service only which was rendered prior to January 1, 1962. Application for
  4       such benefit shall be in such form and manner as the board shall
  5       prescribe.
  6             (4) For the purpose of establishing a procedure whereby the state
  7       board of regents and any member of the faculty or other person described
  8       in subsection (1)(a), subject to rules and regulations of the state board of
  9       regents, may take advantage of section 403(a) or (b) of the federal internal
10       revenue code of 1986 or any other section of the federal internal revenue
11       code of 1986 which defers or excludes amounts from inclusion in income,
12       any member of the faculty or any other person described in subsection
13       (1)(a), whether or not such person has satisfied the one-year waiting pe-
14       riod requirement under subsection (1)(a), may request in writing that the
15       state board of regents reduce such person's annual salary, as fixed by the
16       board, in an amount equal to not less than 5% nor more than the per-
17       centage allowed under section 403(b) of the federal internal revenue code
18       of 1986, as designated by such member of the faculty or other person
19       described in subsection (1)(a), of the gross amount of such annual salary.
20       In the event of such request by a faculty member or other person who is
21       required to make the contribution as provided in subsection (1)(b)(i) or
22       (1)(b)(ii), such person shall not be required to make such contribution
23       and the state board of regents shall provide a sum equal to the percentage
24       amount, as prescribed by K.S.A. 74-4925e or section 2, and amendments
25       thereto, of the gross annual salary of the member of the faculty or other
26       person and shall purchase for and on behalf of each such person whose
27       salary has been so reduced a retirement annuity contract or contracts, the
28       annual premiums for which shall be equal to the sum of the amount of
29       the salary reduction of the member of the faculty or other person and
30       the amount paid by the state board of regents. In the event of such re-
31       quest by a faculty member or other person who is serving the one-year
32       waiting period pursuant to subsection (1)(a) who is not required to make
33       the contribution as provided in subsection (1)(b)(i) or (1)(b)(ii), the state
34       board of regents shall purchase for and on behalf of each such person
35       whose salary has been so reduced a retirement annuity contract or con-
36       tracts, the annual premiums for which shall be equal to the sum of the
37       amount of the salary reduction of the member of the faculty or other
38       person, but the state board of regents shall not provide the sum equal to
39       the percentage amount, as prescribed by K.S.A. 74-4925e and section 2,
40       and amendments thereto, of the gross annual salary of such person as
41       provided for such person who is required to make the contribution as
42       provided in subsection (1)(b)(i) or (1)(b)(ii). Such retirement annuity con-
43       tracts may be purchased by the state board of regents from companies


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  1       described in subsection (2)(a) and subsection (2)(b) or from noninsurance
  2       companies who offer retirement plans that meet the requirements of
  3       section 403(b) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, except that
  4       the state board of regents may require that the first 5% of the gross
  5       amount of such person's annual salary which is reduced under this sub-
  6       section (4) and the amount equal to the percentage amount, as prescribed
  7       by K.S.A. 74-4925e and amendments thereto, of the gross amount of such
  8       person's annual salary which is provided by the state board of regents for
  9       the purchase of retirement annuity contracts under this subsection (4), if
10       required to be provided under this subsection (4), shall be used to pur-
11       chase such retirement annuity contracts from such company or companies
12       as may be designated by the state board of regents for such purposes.
13       The director of accounts and reports is authorized to draw warrants on
14       the state treasurer upon the filing with the director of proper vouchers
15       for the amount of the premium on the retirement annuity contract to be
16       paid pursuant to the terms of such contracts and this act.
17             (5) All employees who are described in subsection (1)(a) and who
18       commence such employment on and after July 1, 1976, shall receive as-
19       sistance under subsection (1) and shall be covered by a valid retirement
20       annuity contract issued by a company described in subsection (2).
21             (6) Any employee of the state board of regents or of an educational
22       institution under its management, other than an elected official, who is
23       receiving or is eligible for assistance by the state board of regents in the
24       purchase of a retirement annuity under this section and who becomes
25       ineligible for such assistance because such employee's position is reclas-
26       sified to a position in the classified service under the Kansas civil service
27       act or who becomes ineligible for such assistance because such employee
28       transfers to a position in the classified service under the Kansas civil serv-
29       ice act with the state board of regents or an educational institution under
30       its management, shall become a member of the Kansas public employees
31       retirement system in accordance with the provisions of subsection (5) of
32       K.S.A. 74-4911 and amendments thereto, unless such employee files a
33       written election in the office of the Kansas public employees retirement
34       system, in the form and manner prescribed by the board of trustees
35       thereof, to remain eligible for assistance by the state board of regents
36       under this section prior to the first day of the first complete payroll period
37       occurring after the effective date of such reclassification or transfer. Fail-
38       ure to file such written election shall be presumed to be an election not
39       to remain eligible for assistance by the state board of regents under this
40       section and to become a member of the Kansas public employees retire-
41       ment system under subsection (5) of K.S.A. 74-4911 and amendments
42       thereto. Such election, whether to remain eligible for such assistance or
43       to become a member of such system, shall be effective as of the effective


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  1       date of such reclassification or transfer and shall be irrevocable.
  2             (7) The state board of regents shall adopt uniform policies applicable
  3       to members of the faculty and other persons, who are employed by the
  4       state board of regents or by any educational institution under its man-
  5       agement and who are in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil
  6       service act as provided in subsection (1)(f) of K.S.A. 75-2935 and amend-
  7       ments thereto, except health care employees, as defined by subsection
  8       (1)(f) of K.S.A. 75-2935 and amendments thereto, for the purposes of
  9       administering the provisions of this section and the provision of retire-
10       ment annuities and other benefits hereunder. All assistance provided by
11       the state board of regents for such persons, and agreements entered into
12       therefor, pursuant to this section prior to the effective date are hereby
13       authorized, confirmed and validated.
14             (8) Any employee described in subsection (1)(a) who is on leave of
15       absence and who accepts a position in the executive branch of govern-
16       ment may file a written election in the office of the Kansas public em-
17       ployees retirement system, in the form and manner prescribed by the
18       board, to remain eligible for assistance by the state board of regents under
19       this section prior to the first day of the first complete payroll period
20       occurring after the commencement of such service in the executive
21       branch of government. Failure to file such written election shall be pre-
22       sumed to be an election not to remain eligible for assistance by the state
23       board of regents. The state board of regents shall contribute an amount
24       toward the purchase of retirement annuities on behalf of such employee
25       equal to the sum of the amounts provided in subsection (1)(c).
26             New Sec.  2. On or after July 1, 2000, the percentage amount to be
27       contributed or provided by the state board of regents under subsection
28       (1)(c)(ii) or subsection (4) of K.S.A. 74-4925, and amendments thereto,
29       shall be computed on the basis of 4%.
30             Sec.  3. K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 74-4925e is hereby amended to read as
31       follows: 74-4925e. On and after the effective date of this act, the per-
32       centage amount to be contributed or provided by the state board of re-
33       gents under subsection (1)(c)(i) or subsection (4) of K.S.A. 74-4925 and
34       amendments thereto shall be computed on the basis of 8.5% for payroll
35       periods chargeable to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994
36       Sec.  4. K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 74-4925 and 74-4925e are hereby
37       repealed.
38        Sec.  5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
39       publication in the statute book.