The passage of HB 2020 in 2003 provides the PERS Board with the opportunity to assist the legislature in crafting legislation pertaining to public employee retirement benefits. In turn, to assist the PERS Board in reviewing PERS-related legislative concepts, the Oregon Legislature also approved the creation of a permanent advisory committee, comprised of PERS plan stakeholders, to provide the PERS Board with comment and recommendations.
ORS 238.660 (9): “The board may review legislative proposals for changes in the benefits provided under this chapter and ORS chapter 238A and may make recommendations to committees of the Legislative Assembly on those proposed changes. In making recommendations under this subsection, the board acts as a policy advisor to the Legislative Assembly and not as a fiduciary. In making recommendations under this subsection on the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan established by ORS chapter 238A, the board shall seek to maintain the balance between benefits and costs, and the relative risk borne by employers and employees with respect to investment performance, reflected in ORS chapter 238A as in effect on January 1, 2004.”
ORS 238.660(10): “The board shall appoint a committee to advise the board on legislative proposals for changes in the benefits provided under this chapter and ORS chapter 238A. The committee must have an equal number of members representing labor and management. No costs of reviewing legislative proposals and making recommendations under this subsection may be charged to the fund. Any member of the committee who is an active member of the system shall be released by the participating public employer who employs the member for the purpose of conducting the official business of the committee, and the wages or salary of the member may not be reduced by the employer during periods that the member is released from duty for the purpose of conducting the official business of the committee.”
Please contact Marjorie Taylor if you have any questions about the PERS Legislative Advisory Committee.
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