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SB 6106

Including in the public safety employees' retirement system specified competency restoration workers at department of social and health services institutional and residential sites that serve civilly committed residents or serve patients under not guilty by reason of insanity findings.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Conway and 11 co-sponsors

Expands PSERS eligibility for DSHS staff at sites serving civilly committed or NGRI patients, extending retirement protections for custody, safety, and nursing duties.

Effective date 6/1/2025.
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Bill Summary · SB 6106

SB 6106 — Summary

Status: Enacted (Chapter 359, 2024 Laws). Governor signed 3/29/2024. Effective date: June 1, 2025.
Introduced: 1/10/2024. Sponsor: Senate Ways & Means (by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Purpose and intent

SB 6106 expands eligibility for the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) to include certain Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) workers at institutional and residential sites that serve (a) civilly committed residents or (b) patients found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). The change is intended to extend PSERS membership and its retirement protections to DSHS staff who perform safety, custody, or competency-restoration–related duties at those sites.

Key provisions

  • Amends RCW 41.37.010 (definitions in the PSERS chapter) and adds a new section to chapter 41.37 RCW.
  • Expands the types of DSHS institutions/residential sites at which employees may qualify for PSERS to explicitly include sites that:
    • serve civilly committed residents, or
    • serve patients under NGRI findings.
  • Confers PSERS membership (subject to existing job and employer criteria) for employees at those sites whose duties meet PSERS standards (e.g., primary responsibility for nursing care, custody, safety, or law-enforcement–type duties but who are not eligible for LEOFF).

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: DSHS employees working at covered institutional or residential sites that house civilly committed individuals or NGRI patients — including competency restoration workers and other staff with primary responsibilities for custody, safety, or nursing care.
  • PSERS: expands the pool of eligible members; no direct appropriation is included in the bill. Fiscal impacts were analyzed in a fiscal note (available separately).

Background and context

  • PSERS was established in 2004 to provide retirement benefits for certain public safety workers not covered under LEOFF and for employees with primary responsibilities for custody/safety at state institutions. PSERS members with ≥20 years of service are eligible for full retirement at age 60 (earlier than regular PERS Plans 2/3), with optional early retirement rules.
  • Previous expansions: DSHS was added as a PSERS employer in 2018; in 2020 PSERS eligibility was extended to employees at sites performing competency restoration services. SB 6106 further broadens eligible site types to include civil commitment and NGRI populations.

Legislative history and votes

  • Passed Senate (1st substitute) 48–0 (2/12/2024).
  • Passed House 93–0 (2/29/2024).
  • Delivered to Governor 3/8/2024; signed 3/29/2024. Effective 6/1/2025.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • The bill contains no direct appropriation. A fiscal note was prepared.
  • Requested by the Department of Social and Health Services.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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