00                            SENATE BILL NO. 144                                                                         
01 "An Act relating to occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters;                               
02 and providing for an effective date."                                                                                   
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 39.35.410(d) is amended to read:                                                                   
05 (d)  The monthly amount of an occupational disability benefit is 40 percent of                                          
06 the disabled employee's gross monthly compensation at the time of termination due to                                  
07 disability. For each month of eligibility after the first 12 months, the monthly                                    
08 benefit amount payable to an employee who is a peace officer or firefighter at the                                  
09 time of termination is increased to 75 percent of the employee's gross monthly                                      
10       compensation at the time of termination.                                                                      
11    * Sec. 2. AS 39.35.890(d) is amended to read:                                                                      
12 (d)  The monthly amount of an occupational disability benefit is 40 percent of                                          
13 the disabled employee's gross monthly compensation at the time of termination due to                                    
14 disability. For each month of eligibility after the first 12 months, the monthly                                    

01 benefit amount payable to an employee who is a peace officer or firefighter at the                                  
02 time of termination is increased to 75 percent of the employee's gross monthly                                      
03 compensation at the time of termination. Notwithstanding AS 39.35.790(b), at the                                    
04 time a member is appointed to disability, the member becomes fully vested in the                                        
05 employer contributions made under AS 39.35.750(a). A disabled member is fully                                           
06 vested in the contributions to the member's individual account made under this                                          
07 subsection. An employee is not entitled to elect distributions from the employee's                                      
08 individual contribution account under AS 39.35.810 while the employee is receiving                                      
09 disability benefits under this section. While an employee is receiving disability                                       
10       benefits, based on the disabled employee's gross monthly compensation at the time of                              
11       termination due to disability, the employer shall make contributions                                              
12                 (1)  to the employee's individual account under AS 39.35.730 on behalf                                  
13       of the employee, without deduction from the employee's disability payments; and                                   
14                 (2)  on behalf of the employee under AS 39.35.750.                                                      
15    * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).