HB 2073 -- Kansas City Police and Civilian Employee Retirement

Sponsor:  Skaggs

POLICE SYSTEM

This bill establishes that the minimum Kansas City police
pension and surviving spouse benefit will be $600, before
supplemental benefits and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs).
Currently, the $600 is calculated as an aggregate figure which
includes the COLA.  The bill establishes that $600 is the base
pension figure for calculating COLAs after August 28, 2000.  The
bill clarifies that a surviving spouse must have been married to
the member at the time of retirement or death in service.
Surviving spouses of members who retired or died before August
28, 1997, must have been married to the member for 2 years
before retirement or death to receive benefits, except for a
member who died in the line of duty or as a result of
occupational disease.  The bill clarifies that 5 votes in favor
of a motion are necessary for actions of the retirement board.

CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE SYSTEM

The bill requires that votes of the retirement board have 5
rather than 4 members in favor to pass a motion.

BOTH SYSTEMS

Rather than basing COLAs on the consumer price index, the
retirement board is given discretion to determine the amount,
subject to a 3% cap.  The bill removes the remarriage
prohibition from surviving spouse benefits.  Technical
provisions are made concerning retirement board resolutions for
payment for services, supplies, and routine business items, and
the bill clarifies that a member's or beneficiary's request to
direct a portion of a benefit to an insurance premium, for
example, will not be considered an assignment of benefits.
Special consultant status is created for persons who would have
been eligible for survivor benefits but for their remarriage
prior to August 28, 2000, with the benefit to be what the system
would have paid had the surviving spouse been eligible upon the
death of the member.