Legislation, The Law, & Public Records

2001 FRS & Local Retirement Bills Report

Bills Enacted into Law

The 2001 Florida Legislature has passed a number of retirement bills and related bills of significance to members of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) and other public retirement plans. These bills must be approved by the Governor (or become law without his signature) before they will be enacted into law. A brief summary of each passed bill follows:

General Bills Passed

CS/SB 2, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-235
This bill by Senator Burt modifies laws governing the FRS to:

• Allow any elected officer participating in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) to cease participating in DROP and enroll in the Elected Officers' Class or Senior Management Service Class or to end DROP participation without terminating his/her term of office, effective July 1, 2001.

• Modify criteria for membership in the Special Risk Class to provide for eligibility of firefighters engaged in prevention, training, or aerial surveillance, and their supervisors or command officers, as well as the supervisors or command officers of emergency medical technicians or paramedics, effective October 1, 2001. See also SB 1922.

• Expand the Senior Management Service Class to include assistant attorneys general within the class, effective January 1, 2002. See also SB 822.

• Modify provisions related to the administration of the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program and related to investment providers under this program, effective July 1, 2001.

• Permit a Special Risk Class member to upgrade his/her former service in another class as an emergency medical technician or paramedic upon payment of the contribution differential for such service credit, plus interest, and permit the employer to purchase the service credit on behalf of the member.

• Provide an open enrollment period from July 1, 2001, through December 31, 2001, during which the governing bodies of cities and special districts may irrevocably elect to designate their elected officers for membership in the Elected Officers' Class.

• Require annual reaffirmation of the Executive Director of the State Board of Administration by vote of the board members, with the Governor voting on the prevailing side.

• Provide a one-time special 12% benefit increase for members of the Florida Retirement System who retired before July 1, 2000, and who have service credit in the Special Risk Class earned between September 30, 1978, and January 1, 1993. The one-time benefit increase will be paid to these retirees on January 1, 2002, and will be in addition to the normal cost-of-living increase provided to all retirees on July 1, 2001.

CS/CS/HB 107, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-36
Effective October 1, 2001, this bill by Representative Prieguez modifies procedures for the disposition of unclaimed property, both tangible and intangible -- ultimately providing for the transfer of the value of unclaimed property to the State School Fund. Since retirees sometimes fail to cash or deposit their retirement benefit payments for extended periods, retirement warrants could be construed as subject to the disposition proposed in this bill. However, chapter 121, F.S., provides that these payments will revert to the FRS Trust Fund, and the Comptroller's Office intends to administer the new law in that manner.

CS/CS/HB 267, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-125
This bill by Representative Kravitz primarily relates to juvenile justice matters. Effective July 1, 2001, section 43 of the bill modifies the eligibility criteria for membership in the FRS Special Risk Class to include youth custody officers who are certified, or required to be certified, in compliance with s. 943.1395, F.S., and whose primary duties and responsibilities are the supervised custody, surveillance, control, investigation, apprehension, arrest, and counseling of assigned uveniles within the community.

CS/CS/HB 279, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-180
This bill by Representative Lynn creates the "Barry Grunow Act" to provide death benefits for teachers and school administrators who are killed or injured on the job and die as a result of the unlawful and intentional act of another. The benefits include $75,000, plus $1,000 for funeral expenses, and coverage of health insurance premiums for certain beneficiaries. The bill also provides for the waiver of certain educational expenses for children of the deceased teachers and school administrators, and makes the teacher and school administrator death benefits exempt property under the Florida Probate Code. The bill reimburses the Florida Education Foundation for benefits previously paid and provides for retroactive application to incidents occurring on or after May 26, 2000.

SB 304, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-265
>Effective October 1, 2001, this bill by Senator Pruitt will allow employees of constitutional county officers (sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, or clerks of the circuit court) to participate in the state deferred compensation program (457 plan) established under s. 112.215, F.S., or in a deferred compensation program established by their employer. If the county has one or more constitutional county officers, the board of county commissioners and the constitutional county officers must negotiate a joint deferred compensation program for all their respective employees under s. 163.01. If the parties cannot agree, individual county officers may establish separate programs. (The bill also postpones required county funding of court-related functions until July 1, 2003.)

CS/SB 466, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-43
This bill by the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Productivity and Senator Garcia amends various provisions of law affecting public employees. Among other things, effective May 14, 2001: Section 40 of the act authorizes (if federal law permits) a pretax trustee-to-trustee transfer of amounts in a participant's deferred compensation account to permit purchase of prior service credit in a public sector retirement system; section 43 of the act authorizes the Department of Management Services to contract for an alternative retirement plan for temporary or seasonal employees (OPS); and section 46 of the act authorizes the Department of Management Services to adopt tax-sheltered plans under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for state employees who are eligible for payment for accumulated leave.

CS/HB 501, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-89
Effective June 30, 2001, this bill by the Council for Smarter Government and Representative Brummer abolishes various boards, commissions, councils, and other entities. In addition, the bill reduces the State Retirement Commission from a seven-member commission to a three-member commission.

CS/CS/HB 503, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-255
Effective July 1, 2001, this bill by Representative Fasano creates the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund, to be administered by the State Board of Administration. The trust fund is not subject to termination and is exempted from general revenue service charges. The bill also authorizes the board to adopt rules to maintain the qualified status of the program in compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.

CS/SB 822, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-266
Effective July 1, 2001, this bill by Senator Dyer makes numerous changes throughout the Florida Statutes relative to government accountability and legal proceedings, in particular involving the Offices of the Attorney General and the Auditor General, and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. In addition to a few nonsubstantive, technical amendments made to retirement-related statutes, the bill also expands the FRS Senior Management Service Class to include assistant attorneys general within the class effective January 1, 2002, and appropriates $93,000 to cover added employer costs for FY 2001/02 due to this change. See also SB 2.

CS/CS/HB 1193, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-47
This bill by Representative Arza relates to education matters generally. In relation to the FRS, section 2 of the bill changes provisions which limit to 12 months the period during which FRS members may elect to participate in the FRS Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) to remove the time limit for instructional personnel as defined in s. 228.041(9)(a)-(d), F.S., and allow these members to elect to join DROP at any time after they reach their normal retirement date. For purposes of establishing pay levels, section 11 of the bill also requires recognition of teaching experience in other school districts for certain newly hired teachers (excluding FRS retirees who are reemployed on a noncontractual basis during their first year of retirement). The bill takes effect on July 1, 2001.

CS/SB 1506, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-276
Effective July 1, 2001, this bill by Senator Garcia transfers all positions in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Department of Legal Affairs into the Career Service System and eliminates a provision that makes these investigators ineligible for membership in the FRS Special Risk Class.

CS/HB 1803, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-91
Effective October 1, 2001, this bill by Representative Waters adds the position of Deputy Chief Judge of Compensation Claims to the judge of compensation claims positions currently included in the FRS Senior Management Service Class. (The position of Chief Judge of Compensation Claims is also renamed as Deputy Chief Judge of Compensation Claims.) This does not represent an addition to the class. The current Chief Judge of Compensation Claims is already a compulsory member of the Senior Management Service Class by virtue of being a judge of compensation claims - positions which were added to the class on July 1, 1999. The renaming of this position will have no effect on the FRS.

HB 1821, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-262
Effective July 1, 2001, this bill by Representative Murman establishes employer contribution rates for the various membership classes and subclasses of the FRS, for the State University System Optional Retirement Program and the Senior Managment Service Optional Annuity Program, for the Supplemental Retirement Act of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida, and for the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy. The bill also establishes rate reductions for the FRS by designating specified portions of available excess actuarial surplus dollars in the FRS Trust Fund to cover resulting costs.

SB 1922, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-279
Effective July 1, 2001, this bill by Senator Geller modifies criteria for membership in the FRS Special Risk Class to provide for eligibility of fixed-wing pilots performing aerial surveillance for the Division of Forestry of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and their supervisors or command officers. See also SB 2.

Local Bills Passed

HB 873, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-312
This local bill makes miscellaneous changes to the West Palm Beach Police Pension Fund, modifying age and service requirements, establishing a 3% early retirement reduction factor, modifying provisions relating to death benefits paid from share accounts, conforming DROP provisions, and modifying death benefit requirements to provide for continuation of benefit upon remarriage.

HB 903, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-319
This local bill by Representative Davis establishes separate airport and seaport authorities in the City of Jacksonville and protects employees' pension rights, including participation rights of members of the FRS.

HB 911, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-321
This local bill by Representative Murman modifies certain pension plan provisions for the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, to provide for reduction rather than elimination of death benefits provided to a surviving spouse upon remarriage.

SB 1996, Enrolled Approved, Chapter No. 2001-288
This local bill by Senator Crist would modify provisions of the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County to provide for employer pick-up of mandatory employee contributions under section 414(h) of the Internal Revenue Code so that employee pension contributions can be made on a pre-tax basis, to provide for additional authorized investments, and to restructure the 13th Check Program.

Proposed Bills

House Bills

Representatives | Committees | Calendars | Journals

HB 3 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Representative Ball would have created the "Citizens' Right to Honest Government Act." Among other provisions, section 11 of the bill would have expanded the scope of the types of crimes for which a finding or plea of guilt or nolo contendere would have mandated forfeiture of FRS retirement benefits and rights.
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HB 5 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Representative Heyman would have redefined the term "retired justice" or "retired judge" with respect to justices or judges who are assigned to temporary duty to include any former justice or judge who has served in a judicial office for a minimum of 10 years and who meets the criteria of the Florida Supreme Court to be certified as a judge or justice and is not engaged in the practice of law.
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HB 15 - Withdrawn.
This bill by Representative Detert would have provided a separate normal retirement date for members of the FRS Regular Class employed by district school boards and would have allowed these employees to retire upon completing 25 years of service, regardless of age.
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HB 63 - Withdrawn.
This bill by Representative Trovillion would have provided a 90-day enrollment period under the State Group Insurance Program for retired state officers and employees who failed to elect continued coverage in the program when they retired. The bill would also have provided another enrollment opportunity for former state officers and employees who deferred their retirement in order to avoid early retirement penalties (allowing them to enroll in the program when they do retire).
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HB 107 - Passed.
This bill, relating to disposition of unclaimed property, was adopted by the Legislature and approved by the Governor. See above for a description of the bill as enacted.
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HB 149 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Fiorentino would have provided that the minimum 65 percent disability benefit available to members of the FRS Special Risk Class who retired on or after July 1, 2000, due to total and permanent disability suffered in the line of duty would be payable to all such special risk members, regardless of their retirement date.
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HB 249 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Kilmer would have modified current provisions of law that establish the presumption that total or partial disability or death suffered by a firefighter or state law enforcement officer due to tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension was suffered in the line of duty. The bill would have expanded the presumption to cover all law enforcement officers and specified correctional officers.
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HB 267 - Passed.
This bill by Representative Kravitz relates to juvenile justice matters and certified youth custody officers. See above for description of bill as passed.
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HB 279 - Passed.
This bill, the Barry Grunow Act, provides death benefits for teachers and school administrators killed or injured due to the felonious act of another. See above for a description of the bill as enacted.
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HB 299 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Gibson would have expanded the FRS Special Risk Class to include persons who supervise or are command officers of emergency medical technicians and paramedics who are members of the Special Risk Class. See adopted SB 2.
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HB 341 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Representative Attkisson (the "Officer Malcolm Thompson Act") would have provided that certain FRS Special Risk Class members who suffer catastrophic injury in the line of duty due to the felonious act of another would be considered totally and permanently disabled and unable to render useful and efficient service as an officer. The bill would also have established a minimum retirement benefit equal to 80% of compensation under fire and police pension plans administered under the provisions of chapters 175 and 185, Florida Statutes, for catastrophic injury in the line of duty due to the felonious act of another.
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HB 347 - Died in Returning Messages.
This bill by Representative Fasano would have revised the provisions of the FRS Public Employee Optional Retirement Program to provide for the exclusive use of private sector bundled providers offering public employees a "full range of individually allocated investment products and a full range of administrative and customer services." The bill would also have limited the State Board of Administration's administrative duties, modified provisions regarding fees and charges, etc. See adopted SB 2
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HB 351 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Mayfield would have extended to employees of constitutional county officers (sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, and circuit court clerks) the same eligibility to participate in the state deferred compensation program as is now provided to state and local employees. Joint deferred compensation programs could have been established with boards of county commissioners under specified conditions. See adopted SB 304
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HB 373 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Lynn would have redefined the term "average final compensation" as used under the FRS to mean the average of a member's 3 highest fiscal years of compensation, rather than the average of a member's 5 highest fiscal years of compensation.
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HB 485 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Fiorentino would have defined the term "teacher member" of the FRS and would have provided improved retirement benefits for these members equal to 2.25% of their average final compensation. This benefit factor would have applied for each year of future creditable service as a teacher and would have retroactively applied for the previous 4 years for currently active members who qualified. The bill would have funded the cost of the benefit improvement through available surplus assets in the FRS Trust Fund.
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HB 501 - Passed.
This bill by Representative Brummer abolishes various boards, commissions, councils, and other entities. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 503 - Passed.
This bill by Representative Fasano creates the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 649 - Died in Messages.
This bill by Representative Bilirakis would have modified current provisions of law that establish the presumption that total or partial disability or death suffered by a firefighter or state law enforcement officer due to tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension was suffered in the line of duty. The bill would have expanded the presumption to cover county law enforcement officers.
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HB 651 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Bilirakis would have upgraded retirement credit for retirees who retired on or before July 1, 2000, to 3% for each year of service in the FRS Special Risk Class during the period from October 1978 through December 1992. See adopted SB 2
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HB 723 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Sobel would have eliminated the restrictions on reemployment after retirement under the FRS for persons who are reemployed by district school boards, subject to specified conditions.
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HB 779 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Fields would have revised the law relating to municipal firefighters' pension trust funds under chapter 175, F.S., to authorize the City of Jacksonville to qualify to receive the state excise tax on all property insurance premiums collected on property within city boundaries, even if the properties are separately incorporated areas within the consolidated government, so long as the City of Jacksonville is providing fire protection services to those properties.
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HB 785 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Richardson would have increased the retirement benefit for most members of the FRS Regular Class by increasing the rate at which retirement credit is earned from 1.60% to 1.68% of average final compensation for each year of creditable service.
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HB 787 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Richardson would have modified the formula for calculating benefits under the FRS to base the benefit on an average of the best 3 fiscal years of compensation, rather than the best 5 fiscal years of compensation. The bill would also have allowed members to vest after 5 years of creditable service, effective July 1, 2001.
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HB 815 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Cantens would have authorized the Department of Management Services and the Board of Regents to adopt tax-sheltered plans under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for state employees who are eligible to be paid for accumulated leave when they terminate employment, to be administered by a private vendor. The bill would also have authorized the department to contract for the implementation of a "retirement income security program" under section 3121(b)(7)(F) of the Internal Revenue Code for eligible temporary and seasonal employees of the state, to be funded from other personal services (OPS) appropriations. (Coverage under this program would have served as an alternative to social security coverage for OPS employees.)
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HB 873 - Passed.
This local bill by Representative Frankel relates to the West Palm Beach Police Pension Fund. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 895 - Died in Committee.
This local bill by Representative Murman would have permitted certain employees employed before October 1, 1981, and continuously employed through January 1, 2001, to enroll in Division B of the City of Tampa General Employees' Retirement Plan, subject to payment of back contributions, plus interest.
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HB 899 - Died on Calendar.
This local bill by Representative Murman would have amended the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa to authorize the city to enter into a supplemental contract with certain firefighters and police officers to increase the rate at which retirement credit accrues from 2.5% to 2.75%. See adopted SB 1996.
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HB 903 - Passed.
This local bill by Representative Davis relates to airport and seaport authorities of the City of Jacksonville. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 911 - Passed.
This local bill by Representative Murman relates to death benefit provisions for the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 913 - Died in Committee.
This local bill by Representative Murman would have modified provisions relating to the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa to allow certain firefighters and police officers to elect to purchase creditable service under the pension contract for service as a firefighter or police officer with the City of Tampa before October 16, 1992.
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HB 919 - Passed.
This local bill by Representative Miller is related to the consolidation of utilities for Escambia County and the City of Pensacola and the pension or retirement rights of transferred employees. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 921 - Died on Calendar.
This local bill by Representative Bennett would have merged the Cedar Hammock Fire Control District and the Southern Manatee Fire and Rescue District of Manatee County into the newly created South Manatee Fire & Rescue District. The bill would have provided that all affected employees have the right to remain in their current retirement plan, or transfer to another retirement plan, if one is adopted.
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HB 933 - Died on Calendar.
This local bill by Representative Miller would have amended provisions relating to the General Pension and Retirement Fund of the City of Pensacola, converting the affected special act to a city ordinance.
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HB 1141 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Justice would have redefined the term "bonus," for purposes of determining compensation under the FRS, to exclude certain payments under the Florida Mentor Teacher School Pilot Program and the Excellent Teaching Program, (with the apparent objective of including such payments as compensation for retirement purposes).
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HB 1193 - Passed.
This bill by Representative Arza revises provisions relating to district school board employees' options under the FRS. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 1197 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Berfield would have revised auditing duties and responsibilities of the Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and the Legislative Auditing Committee. The bill would also have modified provisions relating to certain reports made by chapter 175/185 fire and police plans to the Division of Retirement.
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HB 1209 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Brown would have directed the Department of Revenue to develop an online electronic database of property addresses for purposes of identifying local taxing jurisdictions and accurately assessing a tax on property insurance premiums on property in such jurisdictions. The bill would also have directed local taxing districts to provide and update information for the database and would have held insurance companies harmless for failure to collect such taxes if they made proper use of the database.
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HB 1217 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Kendrick would have eliminated a prohibition against investigators employed by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit being eligible for membership in the FRS Special Risk Class. See adopted SB 1506.
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HB 1369 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Bilirakis would have redesignated St. Petersburg Junior College as "St. Petersburg College and University Center," a 4-year baccalaureate-degree- granting college. The bill includes language intended to authorize the college to "reemploy retired career service, administrative and professional, professional, and faculty personnel immediately upon retirement, without a penalty and without imposing a waiting period."
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HB 1457 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Kravitz would have authorized the Secretary of Corrections to designate certain persons as law enforcement officers under certain circumstances. The bill would also have required the affected persons to be certified pursuant to s. 943.1395, F.S.
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HB 1461 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Ausley would have modified provisions relating to deferred retirement of terminated, vested members of the FRS to require indexing of their deferred benefits by 3% a year for each year from termination to retirement.
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HB 1505 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Frankel would have modified FRS limits on postretirement reemployment to permit reemployment of retired instructional personnel after 1 calendar month of retirement. Reemployment as a teacher would have been limited to 78 hours in the first month of reemployment. The bill also would have directed the State Board of Administration to invest 80% of the domestic equity assets of the FRS Trust Fund through passive management, and would have directed that FRS contributions paid by school districts be reduced, in the aggregate, by $200 million per year, and provided for pro rata use of the savings for teacher salaries.
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HB 1609 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Representative Richardson would have made additional personnel who provide treatment and rehabilitation services at correctional or forensic facilities eligible for membership in the FRS Special Risk Class.
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HB 1803 - Passed.
This bill by Representative Waters revises various provisions in the Workers' Compensation Law, including provisions relating to FRS membership of judges of compensation claims. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 1821 - Passed.
This bill by the Fiscal Responsibility Council and Representative Murman relates to contribution rates for specified classes and subclasses of the FRS and FRS optional programs, for the Supplemental Retirement Act for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and for the Retiree Health Insurance Subsidy Program. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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HB 1931 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Representative Lacasa would have changed the employer contribution rate for the retiree health insurance subsidy and would have modified provisions relating to the "second chance" election under the FRS Public Employee Optional Retirement Program. See adopted SB 2 and HB 1821.
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HB 1933 - Died in Messages.
This bill by Representative Lacasa would have created the Public Employee Disability Trust Fund within the Division of Retirement of the Department of Management Services and would have provided for sources of moneys, purposes, and other related matters.
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HB 1947 - Died on Calendar.
As filed, this bill by the House Fiscal Responsibility Council and Representative Lacasa would have established a disability program for participants of the FRS Public Employee Optional Retirement Program (PEORP). As amended, the engrossed version would have expanded the FRS Special Risk Class to include members with fire prevention training or firefighting duties and members having supervisory or command authority over emergency medical technicians and paramedics or their supervisors. The bill would also have allowed elected officers in the FRS Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) to terminate their participation in DROP and enroll in the FRS Elected Officers' Class. The bill would also have amended provisions relating to administration of the PEORP and would have established a disability retirement program for participants of this program. See adopted SB 2
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Senate Bills

Senators | Committees | Calendars | Journals

SB 2 - Passed.
This bill by Senator Burt, as originally filed, would have modified the formula for calculating FRS retirement benefits. As passed, the bill relates to a one-time increase in benefits for certain FRS special risk retirees and other matters. See above for description of bill as enacted.
Back to subject list.

SB 188 - Died in Committee.
As originally filed, this bill by Senator Clary was a "shell bill" or placeholder. It declared legislative intent to revise the laws governing the FRS.
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SB 234 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Burt would have upgraded retirement credit for retirees who retired on or before July 1, 2000, to 3% for each year of service in the FRS Special Risk Class during the period from October 1978 through December 1992. See adopted SB 2.
Back to subject list.

SB 304 - Passed.
This bill by Senator Pruitt relates to establishment of deferred compensation programs for employees of constitutional county officers. See above for bill as enacted.
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SB 376 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Miller would have increased the retirement benefit for most members of the FRS Regular Class by increasing the rate at which retirement credit is earned from 1.60% to 1.68% of average final compensation for each year of creditable service.
Back to subject list.

SB 378 - Withdrawn.
This bill by Senator Carlton would have provided a 25-year normal career of service, regardless of age, for district school board employees who are members of the FRS Regular Class.
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SB 424 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Senator Jones would have redefined the term "retired justice" or "retired judge" with respect to justices or judges who are assigned to temporary duty to include any former justice or judge who has served in a judicial office for a minimum of 10 years and meets the criteria of the Florida Supreme Court to be certified as a judge or justice and is not engaged in the practice of law.
Back to subject list.

SB 436 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Garcia would have created the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund, to be administered by the State Board of Administration. See adopted HB 503.
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SB 468 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Garcia would have authorized the Department of Management Services and the Board of Regents to adopt tax-sheltered plans under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for state employees who are eligible for payment for accumulated leave upon termination of their employment, to be administered by a private vendor. The bill would also have authorized the department to contract for the implementation of a "retirement income security program" under section 3121(b)(7)(F) of the Internal Revenue Code for eligible temporary and seasonal employees of the state, to be funded from other personal services (OPS) appropriations. (Coverage under this program would have served as an alternative to social security coverage for OPS employees.)
Back to subject list.

SB 478 - Died in Messages.
This bill by Senator Pruitt would have defined the term "teacher member" for purposes of the FRS and would have provided that retirement benefits payable to such members would be calculated based on a value equal to 2.25 percent of their average final compensation for each year of creditable service. The bill would have made this benefit retroactively applicable for the previous 4 years for currently active members who qualified, and would have funded the increase through use of surplus dollars in the FRS Trust Fund.
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SB 538 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Lawson would have modified the formula for calculating benefits under the FRS to provide that retirement credit would be based upon an average of the 3 highest fiscal years of compensation, rather than on a 5-year average. The bill would also have provided for vesting after 5 years of creditable service, effective July 1, 2001.
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SB 670 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Brown-Waite would have provided that the minimum 65 percent disability benefit available to members of the FRS Special Risk Class who retired on or after July 1, 2000, due to total and permanent disability suffered in the line of duty would be payable to all such special risk members, regardless of their retirement date.
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SB 694 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Saunders would have expanded the FRS Special Risk Class to include those emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics whose duties and responsibilities include supervision or command authority over other EMTs and paramedics, and those having supervisory or command authority over such supervisory or command personnel.
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SB 714 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Sebesta would have created the "Citizens' Right to Honest Government Act." Among other provisions, section 11 of the bill would have expanded the scope of the types of crimes for which a finding or plea of guilt or nolo contendere would mandate forfeiture of FRS retirement benefits and rights.
Back to subject list.

SB 822 - Passed.
This bill by Senator Dyer makes numerous changes throughout the Florida Statutes relative to government accountability and legal proceedings and includes assistant attorneys general within the FRS Senior Management Service Class. See above for a description of bill as enacted.
Back to subject list.

SB 848 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Senator Burt would have modified current provisions of law which establish the presumption that total or partial disability or death suffered by a firefighter or state law enforcement officer due to tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension was suffered in the line of duty. The bill would have expanded the presumption to cover county law enforcement officers.
Back to subject list.

SB 866 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Laurent would have provided special death benefits for survivors of teachers who are killed or fatally injured due to the unlawful and intentional acts of another while performing their teaching duties. See adopted HB 279.
Back to subject list.

SB 868 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Senator Webster would have modified the statutory presumption that total or partial disability or death suffered by a firefighter or state law enforcement officer due to tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension was suffered in the line of duty. The bill would have expanded the presumption to cover all law enforcement officers and specified correctional officers.
Back to subject list.

SB 872 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Garcia was originally filed as a "shell" bill, expressing general intent only. The committee substitute for this bill would have expanded the FRS Special Risk Class to cover members with fire prevention and training responsibilities, fixed-wing pilots engaged in aerial firefighting surveillance, supervisors of emergency medical technicians and paramedics and their supervisors, and specified forensic workers. The bill would also have expanded the FRS Senior Management Service Class to cover assistant attorneys general. Finally, the bill would have revised provisions related to administration of the FRS Public Employee Optional Retirement Program. See adopted SB 2, SB 822, and SB 1922.
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SB 982 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Burt would have redefined the term "bonus," for purposes of the FRS, to exclude from that definition payments made under the Florida Mentor Teacher School Pilot Program and the Excellent Teaching Program, and to declare such payments as compensation included in the calculation of retirement benefits under the FRS.
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SB 1188 - Laid on table.
This bill by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee would have transferred responsibility for handling workers' compensation claim petitions and hearings from Department of Labor and Employment Security to the Department of Management Services, and would have included the Deputy Chief Judge in the Senior Management Service Class of the FRS. See adopted HB 1803.
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SB 1190 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Senator Sullivan would have redesignated St. Petersburg Junior College as "St. Petersburg College and University Center," a 4-year baccalaureate-degree- granting college. The bill included language intended to authorize the college to "reemploy retired career service, administrative and professional, professional, and faculty personnel immediately upon retirement, without a penalty and without imposing a waiting period."
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SB 1242 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Wasserman Schultz would have eliminated restrictions on reemployment after retirement under the FRS for persons who are reemployed by district school boards.
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SB 1298 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Lawson would have modified provisions relating to deferred retirement of terminated, vested members of the FRS to require indexing of the deferred benefit at the rate of 3 percent a year for each year from termination to retirement.
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SB 1384 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Lawson would have expanded the FRS Special Risk Class to include additional personnel who provide treatment and rehabilitation services at correctional or forensic facilities.
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SB 1398 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Carlton would have modified current procedures for the disposition of unclaimed property, both tangible and intangible -- ultimately providing for the transfer of the value of unclaimed property to the State School Fund. Since retirees sometimes fail to cash or deposit their retirement benefit payments for extended periods, retirement warrants could have been found subject to the disposition proposed in this bill. See adopted HB 107.
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SB 1410 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Posey would have abolished various boards, commissions, councils, and other entities, including the State Retirement Commission. See adopted HB 501.
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SB 1506 - Passed.
This bill by Senator Garcia relates to positions in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Department of Legal Affairs. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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SB 1572 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Burt would have allowed district school board instructional personnel to be reemployed in an FRS-covered position within 12 months after retirement without loss of retirement benefit, and would have authorized such personnel to continue in the FRS Deferred Retirement Option Program beyond the normal cutoff for such participation.
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SB 1582 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Burt would have increased the maximum period an elected officer may participate in the FRS Deferred Retirement Option Program if he or she defers DROP participation until his/her next succeeding term in office to the end of that term of office, or for 5 years, whichever allows for longer participation. See adopted SB 2.
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SB 1594 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Dyer would have redefined the term "normal retirement date" for purposes of retirement under the FRS, to permit members of the FRS Regular Class and the FRS Senior Management Service Class to retire at age 55 with 25 years of creditable service (including up to 4 years of unclaimed military service credit).
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SB 1600 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Mitchell would have transferred the Division of Retirement from the Department of Management Services to the State Board of Administration.
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SB 1626 - Laid on table. This bill by Senator Burt would have provided that inspectors employed by the Department of Corrections who are certified by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission are law enforcement officers of the state.
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SB 1704 - Laid on table.
This bill by Senator Sullivan would have revised provisions relating to the reemployment of retired FRS members as school district personnel, etc. See adopted HB 1193.
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SB 1708 - Died in Messages.
This bill by Senator Bronson and Senator Burt would have authorized the Secretary of the Department of Corrections to designate employees of the department's office of the inspector general who hold law enforcement certification as law enforcement officers to investigate crimes and enforce criminal law on property owned or leased by the department or involving matters in the department's jurisdiction. The bill also would also have limited the scope of the prison inspector/law enforcement officers to the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections.
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SB 1750 - Died in Messages.
This bill by Senator Klein would have created the "Florida Emerging and Strategic Technologies Act." Among other things, this act would have amended provisions relating to the investment of the FRS Trust Fund to direct the State Board of Administration to "maximize opportunities to invest and reinvest available funds of the System Trust Fund in a manner that is consistent with, and that supports fulfillment of, the economic development strategies of the state."
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SB 1888 - Died in Messages.
This local bill by Senator Peaden would have modified provisions affecting the General Pension and Retirement Fund of the City of Pensacola, Escambia County, to revise provisions relating to contributions, distribution of benefits paid for disability injury or illness, protection of benefits from legal process, and investment of pension fund assets. The bill would also have converted the special act into a city ordinance.
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SB 1922 - Passed.
This bill by Senator Geller revises various laws relating to agriculture and consumer services. As enacted, the bill also provides for membership in the Special Risk Class of fixed-wing pilots performing aerial firefighting surveillance. See above for description of bill as enacted.
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SB 1990 - Died in Messages.
This local bill by Senator Sebesta would have permitted certain employees employed before October 1, 1981, and continuously employed through January 1, 2001, to enroll in Division B of the City of Tampa General Employees' Retirement Plan, subject to payment of back contributions, plus interest. See adopted HB 895.
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SB 1992 - Died in Committee.
This local bill by Senator Sebesta would have modified a pension plan of the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, to provide for reduction rather than elimination of death benefits upon remarriage of the widow or widower. See adopted HB 911.
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SB 1996 - Passed.
This local bill by Senator Crist relates to the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County. See above for description of the bill as enacted.
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SB 1998 - Died in Committee.
This local bill by Senator Crist would have modified provisions of the City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, to authorize certain firefighters and police officers to purchase credit under the plan for certain prior service.
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SB 2022 - Died on Calendar.
This bill by Senator Sanderson would have revised provisions relating to the Legislative Auditing Committee, the Auditor General, and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and involving statutory requirements relating to submission of actuarial valuations.
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SB 2128 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Garcia would have provided an exemption from public records requirements for the names, addresses, and social security numbers of state employees in aggregate, compiled, or list form, with specified exceptions.
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SB 2152 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Lawson would have changed the minimum retiree health insurance subsidy to conform to the change in requirements for eligibility for retirement under the FRS. The bill would have increased the formula for calculating the subsidy, effective January 1, 2002, to $10 a month for each year of creditable service up to age 65 and $6.67 a month for each year of creditable service for retirees that age and older, with a maximum of $300 a month for retirees up to age 65 and $200 a month for retirees 65 and older.
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SB 2202 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Saunders would have redefined criteria for designating firefighter personnel as special risk members of the FRS. Only those administrative personnel solely engaged in accounting, purchasing, legal, and personnel duties and responsibilities would have been excluded from the class.
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SB 2294 - Died in Committee.
This bill by Senator Rossin would have affected pension plans authorized under chapters 175 and 185 of the Florida Statutes. It would have directed the Department of Revenue to develop an electronic database of local taxing jurisdiction property addresses for purposes of accurately assessing a tax on property insurance premiums on property in such jurisdictions. The bill would have protected insurers using the database from liability for certain errors and would have penalized insurers failing to use the database for errors.
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SB 2356 - Died in Committee.
This local bill by Senator Miller would have merged the Cedar Hammock Fire Control District and the Southern Manatee Fire and Rescue District in Manatee County into the South Manatee Fire & Rescue District and would have authorized employees of the new district to exercise certain choices with regard to their retirement plans.
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