Bill Text: HI HB2485 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii House Bill 2485 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating To Hawaii National Guard Retirement Benefits.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-16 - The hearing on this measure has been cancelled until further notice. [HB2485 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-HB2485-Amended.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2485
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD RETIREMENT BENEFITS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that not only is climate change real, but it is the overriding challenge of the twenty‑first century and one of the priority issues of the legislature. Climate change poses immediate and long-term threats to the State's economy, sustainability, security, and way of life.

The legislature recognizes that the fourth national climate assessment, released in November 2018 by the United States global change research program, analyzed the effects of climate change on the environment, economy, human health, and reported the trends in global change with projected major trends for the coming decade through the end of the twenty-first century. Specifically, chapter 27 of the assessment describes climate-related risks for Hawaii and the United States-affiliated Pacific Islands and increased hazards ranging from increased storm frequency, episodic flooding, increased precipitation, drought, and wildfire.

The legislature further finds that the Hawaii National Guard's state active duty activation rates have increased along with the increase of local hazards relating to Hawaii's changing climate. In 2017, United States General Joseph L. Lengyl, Chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged that America's climate is changing, and hazardous storms are "becoming bigger, larger, and more violent." General Lengyl acknowledged that the national guard serves as "the military domestic response force."

The legislature also finds that the Hawaii national guard was activated multiple times to provide disaster response under the emergency proclamation for Kauai flooding in 2018 and the lava emergency proclamation in 2018, and was extended multiple times through supplemental emergency proclamations. These state active duty activations led Hawaii national guard members to serve for as long as six months of continuous service.

The legislature additionally finds that states including Alabama, California, Michigan, and Texas have expanded the retirement benefits for national guard members who have been activated by their state governor through state active duty orders.

The purpose of this Act is to require the board of trustees of the employees' retirement system to conduct a study and recommend state retirement benefits for Hawaii national guard members who are activated under state active duty orders.

SECTION 2. (a) The board of trustees of the employees' retirement system shall conduct a study to determine and provide retirement benefits for Hawaii national guard members who are activated under state active duty orders.

(b) The study shall, at minimum:

(1) Review and summarize retirement benefits policies and programs provided by other states for national guard members activated under state active duty orders;

(2) Examine the impacts of providing retirement benefits for Hawaii national guard members on the unfunded liabilities of the employees' retirement system;

(3) Examine the differences between full-time and part-time beneficiaries of the employees' retirement system, and intermittent employees, in relation to the provision of state retirement benefits to these employees;

(4) Recommend a program with policies to provide Hawaii national guard members with retirement benefits for any future activations under state active duty orders and retroactive retirement benefits from the events related to the emergency proclamations in 2018; provided the board of trustees of the employees' retirement system finds that such a program is viable and feasible; and

(5) Identify and recommend any potential legislation that is necessary to provide retirement benefits to Hawaii national guard members activated by state active duty orders.

(c) The board of trustees of the employees' retirement system shall submit a report to the legislature detailing the findings and recommendations of the study, including any proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2022.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the study and report required pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the board of trustees of the employees' retirement system for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050.

Report Title:

ERS Board of Trustees; Study; National Guard; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the board of trustees of the employees' retirement system to conduct a study to determine and provide retirement benefits for Hawaii national guard members who are activated under state active duty orders, and submit findings and recommendations to the legislature prior to the regular session of 2022. Appropriates funds. Takes effect on 1/1/2050. (HD1)

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