HB 449 -- KANSAS CITY POLICE RETIREMENT

SPONSOR:  Rizzo

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Urban
Affairs by a vote of 10 to 1.

Currently, the requirement for service disability retirement for
Kansas City police officers is total and permanent incapacity
for duty as the proximate result of an accident or through
occupational disease.  This bill revises the requirements to
permanent inability to perform the full and unrestricted duties
of an officer and requires that the accident or occupational
disease be the exclusive result of performance of duty or
employment and that a physician from the medical board of the
retirement system so certify.  The bill also further
distinguishes the difference between service disability and
nonservice disability.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that recent court decisions have
defined "total incapacity" in a manner that is not consistent
with the traditional requirement for service disability
retirement.  This bill makes the statutes consistent with the
traditional requirement.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Rizzo; and Kansas
City Police and Civilian Employee Retirement Systems.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Terry Finger, Senior Legislative Analyst

HB 449 -- Kansas City Police Retirement

Sponsor:  Rizzo

Currently, the requirement for service disability retirement for
Kansas City police officers is total and permanent incapacity
for duty as the proximate result of an accident or through
occupational disease.  This bill revises the requirements to
permanent inability to perform the full and unrestricted duties
of an officer and requires that the accident or occupational
disease be the exclusive result of performance of duty or
employment and that a physician from the medical board of the
retirement system so certify.  The bill also further
distinguishes the difference between service disability and
nonservice disability.