Legislature(2025 - 2026)ADAMS 519

02/18/2025 01:30 PM House FINANCE

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01:33:43 PM Start
01:35:03 PM HB78
03:17:45 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ HB 69 EDUCATION FUNDING: INCREASE BSA TELECONFERENCED
<Pending Referral>
Scheduled but Not Heard
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 78 RETIREMENT SYSTEMS; DEFINED BENEFIT OPT. TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
                  HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                     February 18, 2025                                                                                          
                         1:33 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:33:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster called the House Finance Committee meeting                                                                      
to order at 1:33 p.m.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Neal Foster, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Calvin Schrage, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Jamie Allard                                                                                                     
Representative Jeremy Bynum                                                                                                     
Representative Alyse Galvin                                                                                                     
Representative Sara Hannan                                                                                                      
Representative Nellie Unangiq Jimmie                                                                                            
Representative DeLena Johnson                                                                                                   
Representative Will Stapp                                                                                                       
Representative Frank Tomaszewski                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Nolan    Klouda,    Policy    Director,    Mayor    LaFrance                                                                    
Administration;  Tyler  Bond,  Research  Director,  National                                                                    
Institute  on  Retirement   Security;  Representative  Chuck                                                                    
Kopp.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Doug Schrage, Fire Chief, Anchorage Fire Department,                                                                            
Anchorage.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB 78     RETIREMENT SYSTEMS; DEFINED BENEFIT OPT.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
          HB 78 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                     
          consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster reviewed the meeting agenda.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 78                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  the Public  Employees' Retirement                                                                    
     System of  Alaska and the teachers'  retirement system;                                                                    
     providing  certain employees  an opportunity  to choose                                                                    
     between  the defined  benefit and  defined contribution                                                                    
     plans  of the  Public Employees'  Retirement System  of                                                                    
     Alaska  and   the  teachers'  retirement   system;  and                                                                    
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:35:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  SCHRAGE,   FIRE  CHIEF,  ANCHORAGE   FIRE  DEPARTMENT,                                                                    
ANCHORAGE  (via  teleconference),   introduced  himself  and                                                                    
provided invited  testimony. He  shared that in  addition to                                                                    
his  role  as Anchorage  Fire  Chief,  he  was also  a  past                                                                    
president  and lifelong  member  of the  Alaska Fire  Chiefs                                                                    
Association  (AFCA). He  explained that  he was  speaking on                                                                    
behalf   of   dedicated  firefighters   throughout   Alaska,                                                                    
although  the  majority  of  his  experience  was  with  the                                                                    
Anchorage Fire  Department (AFD).  The primary point  of his                                                                    
testimony was  to relay that  the lack of a  defined benefit                                                                    
(DB) pension  system presented  a recruitment  and retention                                                                    
problem that  was costing Alaskan taxpayers.  He shared that                                                                    
recruitment numbers  for firefighters in Anchorage  were not                                                                    
as strong as  they had been in the  past. However, retention                                                                    
was  an even  greater challenge,  particularly once  Tier IV                                                                    
benefits  became portable.  Some firefighters  had left  for                                                                    
departments  in  other  states, especially  in  the  Pacific                                                                    
Northwest, where DB pension systems were still available.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Schrage  explained  that Anchorage  spent  millions  of                                                                    
dollars  each year  to recruit  and train  new firefighters.                                                                    
After graduating  from the  academy, new  firefighters spent                                                                    
their  first  few  years  gaining  valuable  experience  and                                                                    
achieving journeyman status while  serving the community. In                                                                    
the   past,  the   fire  department   benefitted  from   new                                                                    
employees'  experience over  the  course  of their  careers,                                                                    
which allowed the  city to recover the costs  of the initial                                                                    
training.  However,  the  department   lost  its  return  on                                                                    
investment when  firefighters departed within five  to seven                                                                    
years, after  receiving full training  within the  state. He                                                                    
relayed that journeyman firefighters  from Alaska were being                                                                    
aggressively recruited  by fire  departments in  the Pacific                                                                    
Northwest  and some  departments  were offering  significant                                                                    
signing bonuses.  He was aware  of one situation in  which a                                                                    
$50,000 signing  bonus was  offered for  paramedics. Lateral                                                                    
transfers were also  available and allowed Anchorage-trained                                                                    
firefighters   to   join   other  departments   after   only                                                                    
abbreviated  training. He  shared  that  one department  had                                                                    
used  a  former  Anchorage  employee and  his  family  in  a                                                                    
recruitment video that targeted AFD personnel specifically.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.    Schrage    stated   that    Anchorage    firefighters                                                                    
overwhelmingly identified  the lack of  a DB pension  as the                                                                    
primary reason  for their decision to  leave the department,                                                                    
which  was  why  AFD  had  ceased  out-of-state  recruitment                                                                    
altogether.  He  explained  that the  department  could  not                                                                    
compete  effectively  because out-of-state  applicants  were                                                                    
more  likely  to return  to  their  home states  once  their                                                                    
benefits became portable. He relayed  that AFD was competing                                                                    
for a  limited pool  of paramedics against  fire departments                                                                    
across  the nation,  and in  response,  Anchorage had  begun                                                                    
paying  incumbent firefighters  to attend  paramedic school.                                                                    
The fire  department offered full tuition,  benefits, wages,                                                                    
and backfill  support, resulting in a  cost of approximately                                                                    
$100,000  per  paramedic.  He thought  it  was  particularly                                                                    
disheartening  when a  trained  paramedic  left for  another                                                                    
department after reaching the five-year mark.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Schrage stated  that most  Anchorage firefighters  were                                                                    
now Tier  IV employees  and within the  next 18  months, the                                                                    
last of the Tier III  firefighters would become eligible for                                                                    
retirement.  He warned  that without  deliberate legislative                                                                    
action,  turnover would  increase and  the relative  cost of                                                                    
training  new   hires  would  rise  further   over  time  as                                                                    
employees  retired. He  appreciated the  committee's efforts                                                                    
to  reduce   the  out-migration  of   Alaska's  firefighters                                                                    
expressed his full support of HB 78.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan  stated  that  she  did  not  have  a                                                                    
question  but  congratulated  Mr.   Schrage  on  his  newest                                                                    
grandchild.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster seconded the sentiment.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:25 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
NOLAN    KLOUDA,    POLICY    DIRECTOR,    MAYOR    LAFRANCE                                                                    
ADMINISTRATION,   shared   that  Anchorage   Mayor   Suzanne                                                                    
LaFrance was unable to testify  before the committee but had                                                                    
asked him  to convey  her strong support  for the  bill. The                                                                    
legislation was an important measure  and he appreciated the                                                                    
efforts  to  address  the  issue  of  pensions  and  pension                                                                    
reform. He stated that the  Anchorage was facing significant                                                                    
labor  shortages  that  affected   its  ability  to  deliver                                                                    
essential   services.   He   relayed  that   Anchorage   had                                                                    
implemented  a  number  of   policies  to  improve  employee                                                                    
retention, but  it would continue to  lose employees without                                                                    
a competitive pension system.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Klouda noted that Mayor  LaFrance inherited high vacancy                                                                    
rates  when she  took  office. He  shared  that the  overall                                                                    
vacancy rate  across the municipality through  2023 and into                                                                    
2024 was  approximately 16 percent and  in some departments,                                                                    
the  vacancy  rate was  even  higher.  The Anchorage  Police                                                                    
Department  (APD) had  a  20 percent  vacancy  rate and  the                                                                    
Maintenance  and Operations  Department, which  managed road                                                                    
maintenance  and  snow  removal,   had  a  vacancy  rate  of                                                                    
approximately  18 percent.  The Department  of Health  (DOH)                                                                    
had  a vacancy  rate  of approximately  30  percent and  the                                                                    
Municipal  Prosecutor's  Office  experienced  a  35  percent                                                                    
vacancy  rate   in  2024.  He   shared  that   the  LaFrance                                                                    
Administration had worked hard  to implement improvements to                                                                    
address staffing  challenges and  had seen progress  in some                                                                    
areas;  however,  turnover  remained high.  He  stated  that                                                                    
turnover  in  the Municipal  Attorney's  Office  had at  one                                                                    
point approached 60 percent in recent years.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Klouda  reiterated that the vacancies  directly impacted                                                                    
the  municipality's ability  to provide  essential services,                                                                    
such as  attorneys who prosecuted misdemeanor  theft, public                                                                    
health  nurses, heavy  equipment  operators responsible  for                                                                    
snow  removal,   and  police  officers  who   patrolled  the                                                                    
streets. He stated that all  of the listed services had been                                                                    
negatively  affected  by  employee  turnover  and  retention                                                                    
challenges.  He  further  explained that,  during  the  past                                                                    
summer, APD  was short by  approximately 60  officers, which                                                                    
presented  a serious  challenge  to  Anchorage's ability  to                                                                    
address public  safety in a  basic and effective  manner. He                                                                    
emphasized that pension reform should  be viewed as a public                                                                    
safety issue in addition to  its connection to the provision                                                                    
of  other critical  services. He  emphasized that  it was  a                                                                    
critical public safety issue.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Klouda reported  that the  administration had  analyzed                                                                    
how  retirement systems  affected employee  retention. There                                                                    
was a recent human  resources (HR) study comparing employees                                                                    
with  DB pensions  to those  with defined  contribution (DC)                                                                    
plans that  examined employees  who began  work at  the same                                                                    
time  and  measured their  length  of  service. The  results                                                                    
showed  that employees  with DB  pensions remained  employed                                                                    
for  approximately nine  years,  while those  with DC  plans                                                                    
stayed for about five years.  He emphasized that the results                                                                    
reflected a significant difference  in retention between the                                                                    
two plan types.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Klouda   continued   that   the   administration   had                                                                    
implemented  various   retention  strategies,   but  pension                                                                    
structure   was   one    area   where   state-level   policy                                                                    
intervention    was    essential.   He    reiterated    that                                                                    
municipalities like  Anchorage relied on a  strong workforce                                                                    
to deliver  essential services such as  road maintenance and                                                                    
public   safety.  He   concluded  by   stating  that   local                                                                    
governments  would  continue  to  struggle  to  recruit  and                                                                    
retain  workers  and  to deliver  the  services  communities                                                                    
required  if  the  pension  issue   was  not  addressed.  He                                                                    
emphasized that  anyone concerned about safe  streets, clean                                                                    
parks, reliable  public services, and  infrastructure should                                                                    
also care about pension reform.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:44:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard commented  that Anchorage faced record                                                                    
levels of homelessness, the school  district was ranked last                                                                    
in the nation, and that  crime and murders were occurring at                                                                    
alarming  per  capita  rates.   She  stressed  that  housing                                                                    
affordability was in crisis. She  asked if the DB system was                                                                    
truly  the main  factor  preventing people  from staying  in                                                                    
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Klouda  responded that  a  number  of factors  affected                                                                    
Anchorage's  ability to  recruit and  retain employees,  and                                                                    
that   the  challenges   were  not   limited  to   municipal                                                                    
government   but  applied   broadly  across   employers.  He                                                                    
explained that  the municipality  did not have  control over                                                                    
the Anchorage School District (ASD).  He stated that housing                                                                    
remained a  major issue for the  LaFrance Administration and                                                                    
was   a   top   policy   focus.  He   clarified   that   the                                                                    
administration  did   not  claim  pensions  were   the  only                                                                    
solution   to   Anchorage's   complex  problems,   but   the                                                                    
administration  viewed   pensions  as  a   critical  factor,                                                                    
especially when  reviewing the number  of employees  lost to                                                                    
other  states  that   offered  more  competitive  retirement                                                                    
systems.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  remarked that the  Anchorage Assembly                                                                    
voted on  ASD's budget and  therefore did influence  it. She                                                                    
emphasized  that  crime  rates, housing  affordability,  and                                                                    
homelessness  were key  reasons why  people left  Anchorage.                                                                    
She  thought that  the  claim that  pension  reform was  the                                                                    
primary solution would be a "hard sell."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum  stated that he appreciated  the use of                                                                    
data  in the  discussion.  He understood  that DB  employees                                                                    
typically  remained in  their  positions approximately  nine                                                                    
years,  while  DC employees  stayed  around  five years.  He                                                                    
asked whether  the data  used for the  two groups  came from                                                                    
the  same data  set.  He noted  that there  were  no new  DB                                                                    
employees currently being hired  in Alaska. He asked whether                                                                    
the  data for  DB employees  referred to  employees who  had                                                                    
started employment  during the same  period, or if  the data                                                                    
spanned  different  years.  He asked  for  clarification  on                                                                    
whether the comparison aligned.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Klouda  responded that he  would be able to  gather more                                                                    
information  regarding the  specific analysis.  He explained                                                                    
that the  HR department  had analyzed cases  where employees                                                                    
may have  started working at  the Municipality  of Anchorage                                                                    
but had previous  service elsewhere under DB  plans, such as                                                                    
Tier I  or Tier II  systems. He  stated that in  some cases,                                                                    
employees had not  started during the time  DB pensions were                                                                    
originally  active,   but  were  still  categorized   as  DB                                                                    
employees based  on prior service.  He offered to  follow up                                                                    
with more information.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum  thought that the information  would be                                                                    
helpful  to better  understand the  basis for  the retention                                                                    
numbers that had been cited. He  added that he was trying to                                                                    
understand   the  reasons   why  employees   had  left   the                                                                    
municipality.  He understood  that some  employees left  for                                                                    
more   competitive   pensions    and   asked   whether   the                                                                    
municipality  had conducted  a  total compensation  analysis                                                                    
comparing  its  compensation  package   with  those  of  the                                                                    
employers to which staff had  departed. He asked whether the                                                                    
data showed  that pensions were specifically  the reason for                                                                    
leaving,  or  whether   it  reflected  broader  compensation                                                                    
issues.  He emphasized  the  importance  of compensation  in                                                                    
recruitment  and  retention  and asked  whether  a  holistic                                                                    
evaluation had been conducted.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Klouda  replied  that  he would  follow  up  with  more                                                                    
detailed  information. He  explained  that the  municipality                                                                    
had conducted extensive surveying  of its current workforce,                                                                    
and  pension  issues  consistently  ranked  at  the  top  of                                                                    
employees'  concerns.  He  referenced prior  testimony  from                                                                    
Chief  Schrage, who  described targeted  recruitment efforts                                                                    
from   out-of-state   employers   who   actively   recruited                                                                    
Anchorage firefighters  using more  generous pensions  as an                                                                    
incentive.  He thought  there was  strong reason  to believe                                                                    
pension offerings  were a key factor  in employee retention.                                                                    
He  would  follow  up  with survey  results  and  any  other                                                                    
relevant materials to further clarify the findings.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum would follow  up outside of the meeting                                                                    
for additional information.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:49:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  asked for the  municipality's position                                                                    
on  the   22  percent  contribution  rate   for  the  Public                                                                    
Employees' Retirement System (PERS).                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Klouda responded  that  he did  not  have an  immediate                                                                    
answer and would need to follow up with more information.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  relayed   that  municipalities  often                                                                    
supported  a  return  to  DB  but  expressed  concern  about                                                                    
bearing additional  financial risk or contributing  more. He                                                                    
asked  whether anything  currently prevented  Anchorage from                                                                    
creating  its own  retirement benefit  system separate  from                                                                    
the state.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Klouda responded that it  was his understanding that the                                                                    
municipality  could  theoretically  create its  own  pension                                                                    
system. However, such systems  benefitted from a larger pool                                                                    
of  participants to  distribute risk  and costs.  He thought                                                                    
that  a standalone  system would  lack the  necessary scale,                                                                    
which made statewide systems more advantageous.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  stated that some bargaining  units and                                                                    
employees   in   Fairbanks   were  not   enrolled   in   the                                                                    
Supplemental  Benefits System  (SBS). He  asked whether  all                                                                    
employees under  the Municipality of  Anchorage participated                                                                    
in SBS or if some had opted out.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Klouda  responded that  he understood  that most  of the                                                                    
municipal employees  were enrolled in  SBS. He did  not know                                                                    
the exact number but could follow up.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:51:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TYLER  BOND,   RESEARCH  DIRECTOR,  NATIONAL   INSTITUTE  ON                                                                    
RETIREMENT SECURITY, introduced  the PowerPoint presentation                                                                    
"Presentation  to  Alaska  House  Finance  Committee"  dated                                                                    
February  18, 2025  (copy on  file). He  explained that  the                                                                    
National  Institute  on  Retirement Security  (NIRS)  was  a                                                                    
nonprofit,  nonpartisan   research  organization   based  in                                                                    
Washington, D.C.  He clarified  that he  was not  present to                                                                    
testify in  support of  or in  opposition to  HB 78,  but to                                                                    
share  findings  from  the institute's  research  on  public                                                                    
pension plans  in states across  the nation. He  stated that                                                                    
while the organization conducted  research on a wide variety                                                                    
of  retirement-related  topics,  the majority  of  its  work                                                                    
focused on issues affecting public pension plans.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  continued to  slide  2  which included  a  report                                                                    
released  by the  organization  several  years earlier  that                                                                    
focused  specifically  on  Alaska.  He  explained  that  the                                                                    
report evaluated  the recruitment and retention  of teachers                                                                    
and other  education professionals in Alaska  and offered an                                                                    
analysis  of potential  retirement plan  design options  for                                                                    
the  professions.  The  chart   separated  states  into  two                                                                    
categories:  those  in  which   all  or  most  teachers  and                                                                    
education  professionals  participated in  Social  Security,                                                                    
and those  in which only  some or  none did. He  stated that                                                                    
the top  portion of both  sections showed states  offering a                                                                    
DB  pension.  He  noted  that a  majority  of  states  still                                                                    
offered a DB pension plan.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  relayed that  there  were  other retirement  plan                                                                    
types  listed on  the chart  under the  DB plans,  including                                                                    
hybrid plans,  cash balance plans,  and states  that allowed                                                                    
employees to  choose their  plan type.  He pointed  out that                                                                    
the very bottom  of the chart showed states  offering only a                                                                    
DC plan,  and that  the only state  listed in  that category                                                                    
was Alaska. He emphasized that  Alaska was the only state in                                                                    
the nation  that only  offered a DC  retirement plan  to its                                                                    
teachers.  He added  that if  the chart  had included  other                                                                    
categories of public employees, there  would have been a few                                                                    
additional  states in  which  most employees  were  in a  DC                                                                    
plan.  However,  he  reiterated   that  Alaska  remained  an                                                                    
outlier.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:55:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  asked  about  the  accessibility  of                                                                    
retirement plan  data for  prospective employees.  She asked                                                                    
if,   for  example,   a   30-year-old   police  officer   or                                                                    
firefighter  searching  for  employment across  the  country                                                                    
could access retirement plan information online.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  replied that the  information was  relatively easy                                                                    
to  obtain. He  explained that  public employees  in sought-                                                                    
after professions,  such as paramedics, could  easily access                                                                    
information about which states offered pensions.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin understood  that the  information was                                                                    
public  and it  was  well-known that  Alaska  placed at  the                                                                    
bottom of the  chart. She wanted to clarify that  it was not                                                                    
new information to anyone looking for employment.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  that if  a 30-year  old firefighter  in                                                                    
Alaska was  considering where the remainder  of their career                                                                    
might  take  them, it  would  be  easy to  find  information                                                                    
online about  other employment options.  He stated  that the                                                                    
information  was not  necessarily common  knowledge, but  it                                                                    
was accessible knowledge.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  asked Mr. Bond to  explain the meaning                                                                    
of the  different plan types mentioned  in the presentation.                                                                    
He specifically  asked what constituted a  cash balance plan                                                                    
and a  hybrid plan.  He thought  a clarification  would help                                                                    
both the committee and the  public understand what was being                                                                    
discussed.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded  that  the top  portion  of  the  chart                                                                    
displayed traditional  DB pension  plans and the  second row                                                                    
detailed DB  plans that included  a DC component,  which was                                                                    
typically referred  to as a  hybrid plan. He  clarified that                                                                    
hybrid plans included  a DB component that  was smaller than                                                                    
a  full  DB  system.  In   addition,  there  was  usually  a                                                                    
mandatory  DC  plan  layered  on   top  of  the  reduced  DB                                                                    
component.  There were  several  variations  of plan  choice                                                                    
presented  in  the chart.  Some  states  allowed workers  to                                                                    
choose between  a full DB  plan and  a hybrid plan,  such as                                                                    
Washington.  Other  states designated  the  DB  plan as  the                                                                    
default option, but allowed teachers  to opt into a DC plan.                                                                    
He explained that in other  states, the choice was between a                                                                    
hybrid  plan and  a DC-only  plan.  He relayed  that a  cash                                                                    
balance plan was somewhat of a  hybrid between a DB and a DC                                                                    
plan.  Employees  under  a  cash  balance  plan  accumulated                                                                    
interest credits  and earnings credits and  upon retirement,                                                                    
the  credits  were  converted into  an  annuity  stream.  He                                                                    
stated   that   the    plan   provisions   established   the                                                                    
calculations for the interest and earnings credits.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:59:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp asked  what the  practical differences                                                                    
between a  DB plan  and a  DB plus DC  hybrid plan  were. He                                                                    
asked  how  hybrid plans  typically  differed  from full  DB                                                                    
plans,  particularly  in  terms of  salary  percentages  and                                                                    
benefit structure.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Bond  responded   that   the   percentage  of   salary                                                                    
contributed  to  the  DB  component in  a  hybrid  plan  was                                                                    
typically lower.  He explained  that in a  full DB  plan, an                                                                    
employee  might contribute  8 percent,  whereas in  a hybrid                                                                    
plan, the  employee might contribute  only 4 percent  to the                                                                    
DB  plan and  an additional  mandatory 3  percent to  the DC                                                                    
plan. The benefit  formula for the DB portion  of the hybrid                                                                    
plan was based  on a smaller benefit multiplier  than in the                                                                    
full DB plan. He relayed  that participants in a hybrid plan                                                                    
would still receive a guaranteed  monthly income from the DB                                                                    
component, but  would be expected  to supplement  the income                                                                    
with savings and investment returns from the DC portion.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  stated that he understood  that states                                                                    
utilized hybrid  or DC plans  to control for risk.  He asked                                                                    
if his understanding was correct.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that it was a fair assessment.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan noted  that  the two  columns on  the                                                                    
right-hand side of  the chart were labeled  for teachers and                                                                    
education  support professionals  (ESP). She  asked if  NIRS                                                                    
had  conducted   the  same  type   of  analysis   for  other                                                                    
categories of public sector employees.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  that NIRS  had not  produced a  similar                                                                    
chart for  other categories of  public employees.  He stated                                                                    
that  the  chart  was   specifically  intended  to  evaluate                                                                    
teacher recruitment  and retention  in Alaska.  He suggested                                                                    
that a similar chart could  be created for other categories,                                                                    
but  there  would  likely be  more  variation  because  many                                                                    
public  safety  retirement  plans   were  sponsored  at  the                                                                    
municipal level  rather than the  state level.  However, the                                                                    
fundamental  structures   of  the   plans  would   not  look                                                                    
significantly different.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:03:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Bynum  understood   that  there   had  been                                                                    
reference to  Alaska appearing at  the bottom of  the chart.                                                                    
He asked  for confirmation that  the chart was  not intended                                                                    
as a ranking,  but rather a reflection of  where Alaska fell                                                                    
based  on plan  type.  He asked  if  his interpretation  was                                                                    
accurate.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  in the  affirmative and  clarified that                                                                    
the chart did not reflect any kind of ranking.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Bynum  asked  whether  there  had  been  any                                                                    
evaluation done regarding  the option to opt out  of or into                                                                    
other   retirement  options.   He  understood   that  Alaska                                                                    
teachers had the  option to opt into Social  Security in the                                                                    
past. He  asked if there had  been a study on  the impact of                                                                    
the  choice  and  how  it   related  to  overall  retirement                                                                    
outcomes and decision-making.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  asked  whether Representative  Bynum  was  asking                                                                    
specifically about opting  in or out of  Social Security, or                                                                    
whether the question  was about states in which  there was a                                                                    
choice between plan types such as DB pensions.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum  clarified that  he was  asking whether                                                                    
the states  listed on  the chart  also provided  options for                                                                    
participation  in  Social Security.  He  asked  if the  NIRS                                                                    
analysis  only   considered  plan   types  or  if   it  also                                                                    
considered  the ability  to  participate  in something  like                                                                    
Social Security.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  regardless of  plan type,  most or                                                                    
all teachers  in the states listed  on the top of  the chart                                                                    
participated  in  Social  Security. Only  some  teachers  or                                                                    
sometimes  no  teachers on  the  bottom  half of  the  chart                                                                    
participated in  Social Security,  regardless of  plan type.                                                                    
He  relayed that  most  states did  not  allow employees  to                                                                    
choose  whether to  participate in  the pension  plan. There                                                                    
was generally  no choice  regarding participation  in Social                                                                    
Security either.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum asked if  there had been any evaluation                                                                    
or analysis  on the impact  of Alaska  not being in  the top                                                                    
category.  He asked  if  the information  on  the chart  was                                                                    
simply a neutral grouping of data.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that the  chart should not be interpreted                                                                    
as  any form  of ranking.  He stated  that it  was simply  a                                                                    
method for  grouping states  into different  categories. The                                                                    
chart  was not  intended  to  convey that  the  DB plan  was                                                                    
necessarily superior or  inferior to any of  the other plans                                                                    
listed.  He stated  that  prior  to his  time  at NIRS,  the                                                                    
organization  had produced  at  least  one report  analyzing                                                                    
several states that had adopted  choice options that allowed                                                                    
workers  to   select  which  type  of   retirement  plan  to                                                                    
participate in. He offered to  follow up with the details of                                                                    
the  report. He  added that  one factor  which significantly                                                                    
impacted the  outcome of the  choice was the  default option                                                                    
and whether  it was set to  a DB plan or  another option. He                                                                    
relayed  that   the  chosen  default  appeared   to  greatly                                                                    
influence which plan workers ultimately selected.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:07:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  asked what happened to  a DB member's                                                                    
benefits after the member died.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that typically,  most plans  included an                                                                    
option for  the member to  elect a survivor benefit.  If the                                                                    
member selected that option, at  least some portion of their                                                                    
pension would  go to  a surviving  spouse upon  the member's                                                                    
death.  He stated  that  if  the member  did  not elect  the                                                                    
survivor benefit,  the payments would end  upon the member's                                                                    
death.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  asked if  he had  studied individuals                                                                    
who were in currently in the DB plan.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded in the affirmative.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  asked if  the DB  plan in  Alaska had                                                                    
similar  survivor benefit  options.  She  asked whether  the                                                                    
benefit could  be passed on  to a  family member or  next of                                                                    
kin, or whether it would end entirely.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that he would  need to follow up with the                                                                    
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  understood that if an  Alaska DC plan                                                                    
member passed away,  the remaining funds could  be passed on                                                                    
to the  next of  kin or  to the  member's children,  and the                                                                    
funds could be accessed until  they were fully depleted. She                                                                    
asked Mr. Bond if he was aware of the information.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  in the  affirmative. He  explained that                                                                    
the  DC plan  functioned as  an individual  savings account,                                                                    
which  meant  that  the   participant  could  designate  the                                                                    
beneficiary or  beneficiaries to receive the  funds, such as                                                                    
a spouse, children, or any other designee.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:09:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  asked whether Mr. Bond  knew how many                                                                    
other states  did not provide  a Social Security  benefit to                                                                    
their teachers.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that the  bottom half of the chart showed                                                                    
several  states where  few or  no  teachers participated  in                                                                    
Social Security,  such as California, Louisiana,  Maine, and                                                                    
Texas.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard   reiterated  that  in   Alaska's  DB                                                                    
system, a  portion of  the benefit could  go to  the spouse.                                                                    
However, once the spouse passed  away, the benefit would not                                                                    
continue to any other family member.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that he  was not aware of  any instances                                                                    
in which  the benefit passed from  a member to a  spouse and                                                                    
then to a child.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum asked whether  the cost to the employer                                                                    
remained  in   states  with  choice   plans  was   the  same                                                                    
regardless of the plan the employee selected.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  he would need  to review  the plan                                                                    
details in  states with choice  plans to determine  the cost                                                                    
implications for employers.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:11:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  continued  to  slide 3  and  explained  that  the                                                                    
analysis  focused  on   Alaska's  experience  following  the                                                                    
closure of  the DB  plans and the  implementation of  the DC                                                                    
plans.  He  stated that  the  analysis  reviewed changes  in                                                                    
worker count  by tenure  from 2005, when  the DB  plans were                                                                    
still  open, to  2021, which  was  the most  recent year  of                                                                    
available data at  the time of the analysis.  He stated that                                                                    
the chart illustrated that the  number of workers with fewer                                                                    
years  of   tenure  had  decreased  significantly   for  the                                                                    
Teachers'  Retirement  System  (TRS).  He  noted  that  PERS                                                                    
numbers had  also declined, though  less sharply.  He stated                                                                    
that the decrease pattern suggested  lower retention in 2021                                                                    
compared to 2005,  which suggested that the DC  plan had not                                                                    
been as effective at retaining  employees as the DB plan. He                                                                    
stated that the number of  employees with more than 14 years                                                                    
of experience  had increased during  the time  period, which                                                                    
indicated that  workers still participating in  the DB plans                                                                    
had  remained  in  their  positions  in  order  to  continue                                                                    
earning pension  benefits. He added  that newer  workers who                                                                    
joined  after the  implementation of  the DC  plans did  not                                                                    
appear to remain in their positions as long.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tomaszewski  asked   whether  there  was  an                                                                    
average rate from the lower 48  states in 2005 that Mr. Bond                                                                    
had used as a point of comparison.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded  that the data did not  compare Alaska to                                                                    
the lower  48 states.  He clarified  that the  analysis only                                                                    
compared  tenure  counts  within  Alaska  and  analyzed  the                                                                    
difference between 2005 and 2021.  He stressed that all data                                                                    
in the chart was exclusive to Alaska.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Tomaszewski   asked  whether  it   would  be                                                                    
relevant to include  national data in order  to determine if                                                                    
other states  were in a  similar position in 2005.  He asked                                                                    
if comparing Alaska to other states would be pertinent.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that such  an analysis could certainly be                                                                    
conducted, but  that it was  not part  of the scope  of work                                                                    
for  the  report.  He  confirmed  that  the  report  focused                                                                    
exclusively on Alaska data.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:14:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum thought  that Mr. Bond had  made an "if                                                                    
then" statement based  on the data comparing  Alaska in 2005                                                                    
to  2021.   He  asked  if  other   major  factors  affecting                                                                    
retention and employment had been evaluated.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  the analysis  had only  focused on                                                                    
the retirement  plan options, as  that was the scope  of the                                                                    
task. He  stated that  the analysis  had not  included other                                                                    
factors that may have influenced  worker count or changes in                                                                    
workforce over  time. He  relayed that the  absence of  a DB                                                                    
plan in 2021 contributed to  the lower count of workers with                                                                    
fewer  years  of  tenure,   although  other  factors  likely                                                                    
contributed as well.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson  understood that if an  individual failed                                                                    
to select the survivorship option,  no benefit would be paid                                                                    
to the  spouse when  the member  predeceased the  spouse. He                                                                    
asked whether  that situation would fall  under Alaska Title                                                                    
13, which was  the state's trust and estates  code. He asked                                                                    
whether it  would be within  the legislature's  authority to                                                                    
make  a  statutory  change  allowing  the  benefit  to  pass                                                                    
through  the estate  even if  the survivorship  box had  not                                                                    
been selected,  or whether  the matter  was governed  by the                                                                    
Internal   Revenue   Service   (IRS)  or   another   federal                                                                    
authority.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  he did  not have  the information.                                                                    
The question  was more specific  and legal in nature  and he                                                                    
had not researched it.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson asked  what happened  to the  benefit in                                                                    
such a case.  He asked whether the benefit  simply ceased or                                                                    
whether it passed to the estate.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that he did not have the information.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard remarked  that she  thought she  knew                                                                    
the  answer.  She understood  that  the  state retained  the                                                                    
funds if  the survivorship  box was  not checked.  She added                                                                    
that on  the bottom of slide  1, the chart listed  Alaska as                                                                    
"DC only,"  which she believed was  incorrect because Alaska                                                                    
had a very  generous SBS program. She asked why  SBS was not                                                                    
included in the slide.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  SBS was  mentioned briefly  in the                                                                    
report, but it was not the focus of the research.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard asked for  clarification that Mr. Bond                                                                    
was not asked to include SBS in the slide.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded in the affirmative.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:18:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum asked  about the chart on  slide 3 that                                                                    
included data comparing  2005 and 2021 and the  TRS and PERS                                                                    
categories.  He asked  what the  comparison was  intended to                                                                    
demonstrate for TRS, for example.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that the  analysis reviewed the number of                                                                    
TRS  workers  in  2005  who  had less  than  five  years  of                                                                    
experience, those  who had  between five  and 14  years, and                                                                    
those  who had  more than  14 years.  He explained  that the                                                                    
same  counts   were  then  reviewed  for   2021.  The  chart                                                                    
presented the  difference between those two  data points. He                                                                    
stated that  the number of  TRS workers with less  than five                                                                    
years of  experience was  11 percent lower  in 2021  than in                                                                    
2005.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Bynum  asked  if   the  specific  cohort  of                                                                    
employees transitioning from the DB  plan to the DC plan had                                                                    
been tracked.  He asked  whether the  analysis was  based on                                                                    
following  specific cohorts  or whether  it simply  compared                                                                    
two separate groups of employees  at two different stages in                                                                    
their careers.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  that the  analysis  reviewed the  total                                                                    
number of participants in TRS.  In 2005, the number included                                                                    
only participants  in the DB Plan,  as it was the  only plan                                                                    
offered during that  year. In 2021, the  total TRS workforce                                                                    
included participants in both the DC  plan and DB plan.  The                                                                    
analysis focused on  2005 because it was the  last full year                                                                    
in  which the  DB  plan was  offered  throughout the  entire                                                                    
year, and 2021  was selected as it was the  most recent year                                                                    
of available data at the time of the analysis.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:22:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  remarked that  Mr. Bond may  not have                                                                    
fully understood  Representative Allard's  earlier question.                                                                    
She asked whether SBS had  been excluded from the evaluation                                                                    
of   teachers  and   university   employees  because   those                                                                    
employees were not eligible for SBS.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  replied that the analysis  focused specifically on                                                                    
teachers and other education employees  in Alaska. He stated                                                                    
that when  the report referenced PERS,  it acknowledged that                                                                    
some  PERS employees  participated  in  Social Security  and                                                                    
others  participated in  the SBS  program. However,  SBS was                                                                    
not a focus of the  analysis because the report concentrated                                                                    
on employees who were not eligible for SBS.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  asked for confirmation  that teachers                                                                    
and other education employees were not eligible for SBS.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded in the affirmative.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard stated  that  she  wished to  clarify                                                                    
that teachers had been eligible for  SBS at one time but had                                                                    
opted out.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson  noted  there  was  previous  discussion                                                                    
about  what  would  happen  if  a  member  failed  to  elect                                                                    
survivorship benefits.  There had been a  comment indicating                                                                    
that the  benefit would revert  to the state in  the absence                                                                    
of an  election. He  asked for  confirmation that  the trust                                                                    
itself was not  the state and that the  contributions in the                                                                    
DB plan were pooled in a trust for the benefit of members.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.   Bond   responded   that  the   contributions   of   DB                                                                    
participants  were held  in  trust for  the  benefit of  the                                                                    
members.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson asked  for confirmation  that the  trust                                                                    
was a separate entity from the state.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond confirmed  that the  trust was  distinct from  the                                                                    
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Josephson  stated  that  when  a  public  employee                                                                    
elected  a survivorship  benefit, they  agreed to  receive a                                                                    
reduced  benefit  in  exchange   for  providing  a  survivor                                                                    
benefit  to a  spouse. He  understood that  the process  was                                                                    
actuarially determined  so that  the spouse would  receive a                                                                    
diminished benefit  if they outlived the  employee. He asked                                                                    
if his understanding was correct.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded  in the affirmative. He  stated that when                                                                    
a  member elected  a survivor  option, the  member's benefit                                                                    
was reduced  to provide an  actuarially fair benefit  to the                                                                    
spouse in the event that the spouse survived the member.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson stated that  he hoped such elections were                                                                    
made without coercion and that  the decision likely involved                                                                    
consideration of  the couple's  other assets, the  health of                                                                    
the  retiring  employee,  and the  financial  needs  of  the                                                                    
surviving spouse. There were  many variables that influenced                                                                    
the  decision whether  to elect  a survivorship  benefit. He                                                                    
stated that  it might be  plausible for someone  to conclude                                                                    
that there was  no value in the survivorship  benefit and to                                                                    
instead  retain their  full benefit.  He asked  whether that                                                                    
was a reasonable perspective.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded  that it was an  individual decision that                                                                    
a  member and  their spouse  would make  based on  their own                                                                    
circumstances  and  what  they  determined to  be  the  best                                                                    
option for the situation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Josephson  asked what Mr. Bond's  opinion was about                                                                    
the  criticism   that  although   DB  plan   benefits  could                                                                    
effectively cover a  couple, the benefits did  not extend to                                                                    
the next generation.  He asked if the DB  plan retained more                                                                    
value than the  DC plan, even though it could  not be passed                                                                    
on to children.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that  when comparing DB  and DC,  it was                                                                    
determined that  DB plans  were more  economically efficient                                                                    
than DC plans. He stated  that the NIRS analysis showed that                                                                    
benefits  could  generally  be provided  at  half  the  cost                                                                    
through  a DB  plan.  He attributed  the  efficiency to  the                                                                    
pooling of contributions and  risks, including longevity and                                                                    
investment risks.  He added  that professionally  managed DB                                                                    
plans  typically  achieved  higher investment  returns  with                                                                    
lower fees than individually managed DC plans.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:28:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard  asked  what   would  happen  to  the                                                                    
benefits  if a  wife under  a DB  plan and  her spouse  were                                                                    
killed in  a car  accident. She  asked whether  the benefits                                                                    
returned to the trust.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded that  the  funds  would remain  in  the                                                                    
trust.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  asked what  would happen if  the same                                                                    
situation occurred under a DC plan.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond replied that if  beneficiaries had been designated,                                                                    
the funds would be directed to the beneficiaries.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin  stated  her  understanding  that  if                                                                    
someone passed  away without designating a  beneficiary, any                                                                    
benefit would  be transferred to  their estate.  From there,                                                                    
the estate  process would determine where  the benefits were                                                                    
ultimately  directed.  She noted  that  unless  there was  a                                                                    
specific  provision  in  a contract,  estate  law  generally                                                                    
provided clarity in  such cases. She did not  think that the                                                                    
committee  should  delve  too deeply  into  estate  planning                                                                    
without the presence of a qualified estate planner.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster  noted  that  Director  Kathy  Lee  of  the                                                                    
Division  of Retirement  and  Benefits  (DRB) was  available                                                                    
online to answer detailed questions.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:31:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond continued  on slide 4 and explained  that when NIRS                                                                    
analyzed the  data for Alaska,  it reviewed  the termination                                                                    
rates determined  by actuaries  for different  categories of                                                                    
public employees. The termination  rates for participants in                                                                    
the  DB plan  were compared  to those  in the  DC plan.  The                                                                    
chart on  the slide showed  what would happen if  there were                                                                    
100 male peace  officers in Alaska who were  fully vested in                                                                    
their retirement benefit at age  30, meaning they had worked                                                                    
for  five  years.   The  chart  tracked  how   many  of  the                                                                    
individuals would  be projected to remain  employed over the                                                                    
next  25  years.  He  explained  that  at  age  54,  it  was                                                                    
projected that  63 of  the 100  fully vested  officers would                                                                    
still be working  if they were in the DB  plan. In contrast,                                                                    
only 17 would  still be working as peace  officers in Alaska                                                                    
if they  were in the  DC plan. He  relayed that the  DB plan                                                                    
provided 67 percent  more service after vesting  than the DC                                                                    
plan.  He stated  that  the  DC plan  did  not retain  peace                                                                    
officers  as effectively,  which resulted  in more  officers                                                                    
leaving  earlier in  their careers.  He  concluded that  the                                                                    
total years of  service under DC were lower  than what would                                                                    
be expected under DB.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative Bynum asked whether  the data presented was a                                                                    
projection or an  analysis of actual data  following a group                                                                    
of employees through the described process.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that it was a projection.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  remarked that it was  fairly clear why                                                                    
retention  rates  would  be  better  under  DB  due  to  the                                                                    
guaranteed nature  of the benefits compared  to DC. However,                                                                    
he  thought the  structural comparison  in the  analysis was                                                                    
somewhat  flawed.  He explained  that  the  DB plan  offered                                                                    
fixed  incentives  for  retention   because  the  longer  an                                                                    
employee  worked,  the  greater their  accrued  benefit  was                                                                    
based on salary percentage. He  pointed out that the DC plan                                                                    
did  not  include  a comparable  metric.  For  example,  the                                                                    
employer match in the DC  plan did not increase with tenure,                                                                    
unlike the increasing benefit percentage  in the DB plan. He                                                                    
asked how such a significant  variable was accounted for. He                                                                    
thought it was an "apples-to-oranges" comparison.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded  that  the  best  way  to  address  the                                                                    
question was to  consider the issue from  the perspective of                                                                    
the state or a non-state  municipal employer. He agreed that                                                                    
Representative Stapp  made an accurate point  and that there                                                                    
were provisions  that were intentionally included  in the DB                                                                    
plan to retain employees longer.  He noted that DC plans did                                                                    
not include such provisions and  there was higher attrition.                                                                    
From the employer's standpoint,  the decision was whether to                                                                    
incentivize long-term  retention or to accept  a higher rate                                                                    
of turnover  by not  including such  incentives in  the plan                                                                    
design.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:36:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp asked  if the  gap between  DB and  DC                                                                    
would become greater or lesser  if a stair-stepped structure                                                                    
with higher  percentages of  employer contributions  tied to                                                                    
retention was implemented into DC plans.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded that  such  a  structure had  not  been                                                                    
modeled in the  analysis. He confirmed that a  DC plan could                                                                    
be designed  to include increasing  contribution percentages                                                                    
over time,  but the  structure had not  been modeled  in the                                                                    
analysis.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  stated that he would  still expect the                                                                    
DB  plan to  produce better  retention outcomes.  He thought                                                                    
that even  if such a  DC plan  were created, it  would still                                                                    
likely  result  in  lower  retention  because  the  DB  plan                                                                    
continued  to provide  incentives  throughout an  employee's                                                                    
career. By  contrast, the current DC  plan structure offered                                                                    
no increased  incentives after the five-year  vesting period                                                                    
and "dropped off a cliff."                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard asked  if there  was a  graph in  the                                                                    
report that  compared Alaska's DB  plan retention  data with                                                                    
that of another state.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded  that the report did not  include a chart                                                                    
that directly  compared retention in Alaska  to retention in                                                                    
another state.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard  asked  if retention  in  Alaska  had                                                                    
declined  since the  DB plan  was  no longer  in place.  She                                                                    
wondered if  other states that  still offered a DB  plan had                                                                    
stronger retention rates than Alaska.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  in the  affirmative. He  confirmed that                                                                    
retention was higher  in states that offered a  DB plan than                                                                    
it was in Alaska.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Bynum  remarked  that  comparing  Alaska  to                                                                    
other  states  was  difficult  due   to  the  unique  living                                                                    
conditions  and dynamics  in  Alaska.  He expressed  concern                                                                    
about making  direct comparisons between states.  He thought                                                                    
that the  actual comparative models on  retention between DC                                                                    
and DB structures was not  examined. He understood that such                                                                    
models had not  been included in the analysis.  He asked how                                                                    
difficult it would be to conduct such an analysis.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  explained that  to compile the  chart on  slide 4,                                                                    
NIRS  had used  the ultimate  termination rates  provided by                                                                    
the  actuary.  He  stated  that  the  actuary  reviewed  the                                                                    
experience of both  plans and determined the  rates based on                                                                    
the observed performance,  which provided enough information                                                                    
to project future years of  service. He stated that modeling                                                                    
different design  changes in  a DC  plan would  be possible,                                                                    
but it was not included in the analysis.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:40:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage commented that  although Alaska was unique,                                                                    
the state had already undergone  a transition from DB to DC.                                                                    
He emphasized that the change  allowed the state to evaluate                                                                    
retention outcomes  directly, rather than relying  solely on                                                                    
comparisons  with other  states. He  asked for  confirmation                                                                    
that Alaska  already had the  data necessary  to demonstrate                                                                    
that  retention had  declined following  the shift  to a  DC                                                                    
plan.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond responded  that social  scientists might  refer to                                                                    
the  change  from DB  to  DC  as  a natural  experiment.  He                                                                    
remarked that  on one day  the state had  a DB plan,  and on                                                                    
the next, it  had transitioned to a DC plan.  He thought the                                                                    
change allowed for  a direct comparison of  data from before                                                                    
and after  the switch. He  noted that the  data illustrating                                                                    
the differences  before and after  the change  were included                                                                    
in the analysis.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Schrage  stated   that  both  Alaska's  historical                                                                    
experience   and  comparisons   to   other  states   clearly                                                                    
demonstrated that  a DB  plan provided  a better  benefit as                                                                    
well  as  offered  a guarantee  and  superior  outcomes.  He                                                                    
asserted that  the question  was not whether  a DB  plan was                                                                    
better than a DC plan because  the evidence in support of DB                                                                    
was  overwhelming. Instead,  the relevant  question for  the                                                                    
committee to consider was whether  a transition to a DB plan                                                                    
would  be affordable  for  the state  and  whether it  would                                                                    
introduce  excessive  risk.  He  suggested  that  the  issue                                                                    
should  be framed  strictly in  terms of  risk and  cost. He                                                                    
stressed  that  academic  research and  historical  evidence                                                                    
consistently  showed that  a DB  plan was  more advantageous                                                                    
for employees and improved retention outcomes.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Allard  commented  that Mr.  Bond  had  said                                                                    
other  states had  better outcomes,  but Alaska's  retention                                                                    
rate  was at  17.5 percent,  which she  believed placed  the                                                                    
state in  the middle. She  asked which states with  DB plans                                                                    
had higher or  lower retention rates than  Alaska. She noted                                                                    
that Texas had  a 28 percent retention rate and  she was not                                                                    
convinced that Alaska was in the middle.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that he  had not seen the  specific data                                                                    
referenced  by  Representative  Allard  and  would  need  to                                                                    
review it in order to  respond accurately. He cautioned that                                                                    
Texas had  numerous pension plans, including  four statewide                                                                    
plans and many municipal  pension plans. He expressed strong                                                                    
hesitation  about aggregating  all  the Texas  plans into  a                                                                    
single  retention  figure.  He stated  that  the  variations                                                                    
among  plans  and  the  differing  local  conditions  within                                                                    
municipalities  could  each  affect  turnover  outcomes.  He                                                                    
stressed  that he  would caution  against generalizing  such                                                                    
data into a single number for the entire state of Texas.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard  understood that Mr. Bond  had implied                                                                    
Alaska was  at the bottom  in terms of retention.  She noted                                                                    
that she  did not  believe that  statement was  accurate and                                                                    
asked  how  Mr.  Bond  could   make  the  assertion  without                                                                    
referencing specific  comparative data. She thought  that he                                                                    
should be more precise.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded that  he  had  not  meant to  imply  or                                                                    
suggest  that Alaska  was at  the bottom  for retention.  He                                                                    
clarified  that  he  had   not  conducted  a  state-by-state                                                                    
comparison  of  retention  across   every  DB  plan  in  the                                                                    
country.  He  would need  to  review  extensive data  before                                                                    
making any  statement about where Alaska  ranked relative to                                                                    
other  states.  He  reiterated that  his  observations  were                                                                    
based  solely on  comparisons within  Alaska's own  data. He                                                                    
clarified that  retention in Alaska  had declined  since the                                                                    
transition  from DB  to  DC.  He stressed  that  he was  not                                                                    
attempting  to make  determinations about  Alaska's national                                                                    
rank.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:45:47 PM                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
Representative  Johnson thought  that the  chart on  slide 4                                                                    
compared only  a limited number  of variables.  She asserted                                                                    
that   the   dataset   was   insufficient   for   making   a                                                                    
comprehensive  assessment.  She  preferred to  examine  more                                                                    
than  a  single  variable  and the  chart  did  not  provide                                                                    
substantial information.  She was interested  in discovering                                                                    
more  about the  risk  and hoped  the  information would  be                                                                    
included on subsequent slides.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  continued to  slide 5,  which presented  a similar                                                                    
comparison  chart  as the  previous  slide,  but focused  on                                                                    
female teachers in Alaska. The  chart projected outcomes for                                                                    
100  female   teachers  who  were  fully   vested  in  their                                                                    
retirement  plan at  age  30. He  explained  that the  chart                                                                    
projected  how many  additional  years of  service would  be                                                                    
expected for  the 100 female  teachers. Consistent  with the                                                                    
prior  slide,  the  projection indicated  that  more  female                                                                    
teachers would be  retained under a DB plan than  under a DC                                                                    
plan.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  proceeded to slide  6, which offered  another look                                                                    
at similar  data and  was specific  to the  TRS DC  plan. He                                                                    
explained   that  actuaries   were  required   to  calculate                                                                    
termination  rates as  part  of  their actuarial  experience                                                                    
studies. He  defined termination rates as  the percentage of                                                                    
workers expected  to leave  based on  years of  service. The                                                                    
column on  the left listed  years of service  beginning with                                                                    
less than one  year and increasing to five  years. The chart                                                                    
displayed termination  rates broken  out by  gender, showing                                                                    
the  current rates  used  for the  TRS DC  plan  as well  as                                                                    
proposed  new  rates that  had  been  adopted following  the                                                                    
experience   study.   He   explained   that   the   proposed                                                                    
termination  rates  projected  higher  turnover  earlier  in                                                                    
service  than the  previous rates  and  more employees  were                                                                    
expected  to leave  earlier in  their careers  based on  the                                                                    
updated data.  He asserted that the  information was another                                                                    
data  point  that  suggested that  actuaries  expected  that                                                                    
retention would worsen in the future.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:49:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Johnson   indicated  that  she   was  having                                                                    
difficulty  understanding how  the chart's  predictions were                                                                    
developed  without  knowing  which variables  were  used  to                                                                    
arrive at  the figures. She  thought that the chart  did not                                                                    
clearly show  how the transition occurred  from the original                                                                    
to   the  proposed   termination   rates.   She  asked   for                                                                    
clarification on where the data could be found.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that the  link included in the slides led                                                                    
to the  actuarial experience study that  contained the chart                                                                    
in question.  He stated that  the actuaries  explained their                                                                    
methodology in  the document. He  explained that  in Alaska,                                                                    
actuaries  conducted   experience  studies   over  four-year                                                                    
periods and for  the 2022 study, the  actuaries examined the                                                                    
four  prior fiscal  years, beginning  on July  1, 2017,  and                                                                    
ending  on June  30, 2021.  The chart  reflected the  actual                                                                    
experience of the plan during  the four-year time period. He                                                                    
explained  that  the data  was  compared  to the  actuaries'                                                                    
projections  to  determine  what   was  different  from  the                                                                    
projections. He  stressed that the outcomes  could be better                                                                    
or worse and  that the actuaries were simply  making note of                                                                    
the  differences. The  data  for TRS  DC  plans showed  that                                                                    
retention  would  be  worse  in   the  future  because  more                                                                    
employees  would leave  earlier in  their careers  than they                                                                    
had in previous years of data.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Johnson   remarked  that  there   were  many                                                                    
variables  and there  had been  a societal  shift. Employees                                                                    
were not  staying in  the same  career for  30 years  as was                                                                    
common in  the past. She understood  Mr. Bond's perspective,                                                                    
but she did not think the data was conclusive.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  encouraged  the  committee   to  speak  with  the                                                                    
actuaries.  The actuaries  were generally  eager to  discuss                                                                    
their  analyses  and  explain  how  they  arrived  at  their                                                                    
conclusions. He  added that the actuaries  would also likely                                                                    
be  able  to  answer  many of  the  specific  and  technical                                                                    
questions that he could not answer.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:53:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  remarked that he had  appreciated most                                                                    
of the  presentation but believed  the current  slide [slide                                                                    
6]  was  the  weakest.  He questioned  what  the  chart  was                                                                    
actually  depicting.  He  pointed   out  that  none  of  the                                                                    
individuals reflected  in the  data had  been vested  in any                                                                    
type of  retirement benefit.  He expressed  skepticism about                                                                    
the suggestion that there would  be a 50 percent increase in                                                                    
the number  of female  employees leaving within  their first                                                                    
year of employment and thought  it was more likely that such                                                                    
early departures were related  to dissatisfaction with their                                                                    
supervisors than  with the retirement system.  He questioned                                                                    
how a retirement plan could  be responsible for a 31 percent                                                                    
turnover rate within the first  year and expressed disbelief                                                                    
that such  a high early  departure rate could  reasonably be                                                                    
attributed to the lack of a DB plan.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond confirmed  that the  individuals reflected  in the                                                                    
chart were not vested in  their benefits. He noted that even                                                                    
by the fifth  year of service, full vesting  would have just                                                                    
occurred and  turnover was consistently higher  in the first                                                                    
five  years  across  all  DB plans.  The  first  five  years                                                                    
typically involved more turnover  because new employees were                                                                    
assessing whether the position  suited them. He acknowledged                                                                    
that many employees would determine  within the first one to                                                                    
three years that  the position was not a good  fit and would                                                                    
choose to leave. He agreed  that the retirement plan was not                                                                    
the only factor contributing to  the turnover rates and that                                                                    
other influences  were likely at  play. However,  similar DB                                                                    
plans   in  other   states   did   not  reflect   comparable                                                                    
termination rates. He  stated that it was unusual  to see 31                                                                    
percent of employees  leaving within one year  or 21 percent                                                                    
leaving after one year. The  numbers suggested that the lack                                                                    
of  a  DB plan  might  be  contributing  to the  high  early                                                                    
turnover because  employees were  not being  incentivized to                                                                    
remain long enough to reach vesting and earn the benefit.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp  suggested  that if  individuals  were                                                                    
leaving within the first year  of employment, they would not                                                                    
receive   any  pension   benefits.  He   questioned  how   a                                                                    
retirement  plan  could  be  considered  a  cause  of  early                                                                    
turnover when the departing employees  would not receive the                                                                    
benefit regardless.  He thought it would  be more reasonable                                                                    
to attribute  a departure  after five  years to  the pension                                                                    
structure  because the  employees would  be fully  vested by                                                                    
that  time and  eligible to  retain the  benefit. He  stated                                                                    
that  he  could  not  infer anything  meaningful  from  that                                                                    
chart.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded  that someone who left a  job within less                                                                    
than  a year  would not  receive the  employer contributions                                                                    
from a DC  plan or a pension benefit because  they would not                                                                    
have vested in either. He  stated that the relevant question                                                                    
was  the  extent to  which  the  presence  or absence  of  a                                                                    
pension acted as  a signal to a new  employee that remaining                                                                    
on the job would lead to  the opportunity to earn a benefit.                                                                    
Alternatively, the absence of  the benefit signaled that the                                                                    
job would not offer any long-term retirement incentive.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:57:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Schrage  remarked that he could  imagine a scenario                                                                    
in which an employee  considered quitting and was encouraged                                                                    
by  a supervisor  to stay  longer, possibly  to vest  in the                                                                    
plan.  He understood  that there  was a  recurring assertion                                                                    
that  younger  generations  no longer  valued  pensions.  As                                                                    
someone in  his early  thirties, he considered  himself part                                                                    
of the younger generation and  remained very interested in a                                                                    
pension.  He added  that his  interest was  not unique,  and                                                                    
that  others  in  his peer  group  and  community  expressed                                                                    
strong  support  for  pensions. He  noted  that  even  while                                                                    
shopping at Costco, individuals  had approached him to voice                                                                    
support  for pensions.  Employee surveys  across professions                                                                    
such  as  public  safety   and  education  had  consistently                                                                    
indicated  that retirement  options  such  as pensions  were                                                                    
viewed  as  key  to recruitment,  retention,  and  workforce                                                                    
development.  He reiterated  that  based  on both  anecdotal                                                                    
experience and the  data he had reviewed,  the argument that                                                                    
younger  individuals   did  not  care  about   pensions  was                                                                    
inaccurate.  He  acknowledged   that  others  might  present                                                                    
alternative  data  but  maintained  that  his  personal  and                                                                    
observed experience strongly  contradicted that argument. He                                                                    
clarified  that his  remarks were  a comment  rather than  a                                                                    
question.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Allard stated that  an actuarial analysis was                                                                    
urgently needed.  She thought it  was important  to evaluate                                                                    
examples from other states. She  noted that large numbers of                                                                    
individuals  had  reportedly  left   the  public  sector  in                                                                    
California,  which  brought  up questions  about  retirement                                                                    
plan   reform.    She   acknowledged    Co-Chair   Schrage's                                                                    
experience,  but she  shared that  she had  two children  in                                                                    
Generation  Z  and  members  of  that  generation  were  not                                                                    
focused  on defined  benefits  or  retirement planning.  She                                                                    
understood  that  younger   people  valued  flexibility  and                                                                    
prioritized personal  fulfillment over  long-term employment                                                                    
commitments. She expressed  concern that requiring long-term                                                                    
service  to  access  benefits could  lock  individuals  into                                                                    
positions they did not enjoy.  She emphasized that she would                                                                    
not want  to force anyone to  remain in a job  in which they                                                                    
were unhappy.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  invited Representative Chuck Kopp  to share                                                                    
updated  information  on  the   timeline  of  the  actuarial                                                                    
analysis.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:00:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CHUCK   KOPP,  explained  that   the  formal                                                                    
actuarial request  had already  been made and  it was  a few                                                                    
weeks out.  He relayed  that Chiron,  a second  actuary, had                                                                    
also been  engaged to produce the  requested information. He                                                                    
agreed  with  Representative  Allard that  hearing  directly                                                                    
from the actuary  was important. He relayed that  it was the                                                                    
actuary's   responsibility   to  review   actual   retention                                                                    
experience  retrospectively  in   order  to  project  future                                                                    
trends. The  process informed the  assumed return  rate used                                                                    
to  guide  financial  planning  and  the  actuary's  license                                                                    
depended on  the accuracy of  that work. He shared  that the                                                                    
actuary performed an annual retention study for the state.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Johnson  stated that when she  considered her                                                                    
children  and  their  peers,  many of  whom  were  in  their                                                                    
twenties, she  believed there was  a perception  that Alaska                                                                    
offered  a  good  retirement   system.  She  explained  that                                                                    
although her children were not  state employees, they viewed                                                                    
DC  plans positively  and believed  that state  workers were                                                                    
generally  well-supported in  terms of  retirement benefits.                                                                    
She questioned whether the state  should be employing a form                                                                    
of "golden  handcuffs" by incentivizing employees  to remain                                                                    
in  their positions  for  long periods  of  time to  receive                                                                    
benefits.  She  thought it  was  valid  to consider  whether                                                                    
changes  to retirement  policy could  help retain  employees                                                                    
who might  otherwise leave. She emphasized  that legislators                                                                    
had a duty  not to overextend the state  financially and she                                                                    
was concerned  that changes to  the retirement  system could                                                                    
increase the  existing unfunded  liability. She  stated that                                                                    
her  primary considerations  were  the  potential risks  the                                                                    
state might  incur and  if changes  were truly  necessary in                                                                    
order  to better  retain workers.  She appreciated  the data                                                                    
being  presented,  but  it  was  unlikely  to  significantly                                                                    
influence her position.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kopp  appreciated  Representative  Johnson's                                                                    
remarks regarding  risk, responsibility, and  the employer's                                                                    
role,  which were  important  considerations. He  emphasized                                                                    
that the state  asked a great deal of  its public employees,                                                                    
including  rural teachers  and public  safety personnel.  He                                                                    
stated  that  teachers were  entrusted  with  the lives  and                                                                    
education  of  children  and  that  the  state  had  already                                                                    
committed significantly  to teachers by placing  children in                                                                    
their  care.  He stated  that  risks  between employers  and                                                                    
employees  were  inherently  shared.   The  state  would  be                                                                    
sharing the  risk with individuals  like peace  officers who                                                                    
put their  lives on  the line daily.  He referenced  the law                                                                    
enforcement  and  firefighter   memorial  in  Anchorage  and                                                                    
encouraged others to  visit and reflect on  the names listed                                                                    
there. He  emphasized that the individuals  memorialized had                                                                    
taken  a significant  risk, and  he believed  Representative                                                                    
Johnson recognized this as well.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kopp cautioned  that  if the  state was  not                                                                    
willing  to  share  in  the   risk,  it  needed  to  proceed                                                                    
carefully,  as public  safety employees  were in  service to                                                                    
the  public. He  emphasized  the importance  of the  state's                                                                    
responsibility  in  administering  the retirement  plan.  He                                                                    
agreed  with  Representative   Johnson's  remarks  regarding                                                                    
responsibility  and  risk but  stressed  that  risk must  be                                                                    
recognized as mutual. He stated  that any retirement plan or                                                                    
operational  service  inherently  involved shared  risk  and                                                                    
that the state must remain  sensitive to that reality rather                                                                    
than  reject  options  simply because  some  level  of  risk                                                                    
existed.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:06:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Johnson  stated  that she  had  visited  the                                                                    
memorial while serving  as the mayor of Palmer  and that she                                                                    
took  the  lives  of  all police  and  fire  personnel  very                                                                    
seriously.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kopp  thanked   Representative  Johnson  and                                                                    
acknowledged that he had seen her at the memorial.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster relayed  that  some  committee members  had                                                                    
other commitments  and would  need to  leave soon.  He noted                                                                    
that if  the committee needed  to bring Mr. Klouda  back, he                                                                    
would make arrangements,  either in person or  via phone. He                                                                    
remarked  that the  presentation  was  only about  one-third                                                                    
completed and  that he did  not wish  to rush through  it or                                                                    
continue it without full committee attendance.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp thanked  Representative  Kopp for  the                                                                    
update  and  stated  that  he  would  address  his  specific                                                                    
questions  regarding   the  actuary  offline  in   order  to                                                                    
conserve time.  He referenced  a report  by Mr.  Bond titled                                                                    
"Enduring  Challenges: Examining  the Experiences  of States                                                                    
that Closed Pensions" (copy on  file). He thought the report                                                                    
contained  important information  that the  committee should                                                                    
discuss.   He  asked   what  the   difference  was   between                                                                    
actuarially  determined  employer contributions  and  annual                                                                    
required contributions to a plan.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that the two  terms essentially referred                                                                    
to  the same  figure. He  noted that  while terminology  had                                                                    
shifted  over  time  within the  actuarial  community,  both                                                                    
referred to the same contribution value.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp stated  that  he  raised the  question                                                                    
because the  study showed  that since  Alaska exited  the DB                                                                    
program,  the  state  had contributed  over  $7  billion  in                                                                    
additional  funds  in  an effort  to  restore  plan  funding                                                                    
levels.  According  to  the study,  Alaska  had  underfunded                                                                    
contributions in 10 of the past  14 years. He asked Mr. Bond                                                                    
to comment.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that the  study reviewed whether the full                                                                    
actuarial   contribution  recommended   in  each   year  had                                                                    
actually been paid. He confirmed that  in 10 of the 14 years                                                                    
examined, the  state contributed  less than the  full amount                                                                    
recommended by actuaries.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp asked  what  amount  should have  been                                                                    
contributed  in   those  years   to  fully   meet  actuarial                                                                    
recommendations.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond responded that he  did not have the specific dollar                                                                    
figure readily available  but could provide it  as a follow-                                                                    
up.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp  stated that  the reason he  raised the                                                                    
issue was because  he thought that a  $7 billion discrepancy                                                                    
due  to  actuarial  underfunding  was  a  big  mistake.  The                                                                    
committee   should  be   aware  that   the  state   had  not                                                                    
contributed  the  full  amount that  actuaries  recommended,                                                                    
even in addition to the  employee contributions collected to                                                                    
fund  the  plan. He  highlighted  that  there was  declining                                                                    
enrollment in  the DB plan  and financial pressure  that was                                                                    
caused by capital outflows from  the plan's assets. He asked                                                                    
why the employee-to-retiree ratio within the plan mattered.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded that  when  a  DB plan  remained  open,                                                                    
meaning  that  new members  joined  each  year while  others                                                                    
retired each year, the plan  could invest with a longer time                                                                    
horizon. He  explained that  an open DB  plan allowed  for a                                                                    
balanced  investment strategy  that  incorporated both  risk                                                                    
and safety  in order to  generate the returns needed  to pay                                                                    
future benefits. When a plan  closed and ceased to admit new                                                                    
members, the flow  of new contributions declined  due to the                                                                    
lack of  active participants. The  shift forced the  plan to                                                                    
adopt  a  more conservative  investment  approach  as it  no                                                                    
longer had new inflows  to absorb short-term volatility. The                                                                    
conservative  investment  strategy   typically  resulted  in                                                                    
lower expected returns.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:13:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stapp asked  for  more  information on  what                                                                    
would be considered  a healthy ratio of  active employees to                                                                    
retirees in a DB plan.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Bond  responded  that  he   did  not  have  a  specific                                                                    
recommended ratio but noted that  the topic was addressed in                                                                    
a separate  report. He explained  that NIRS had  developed a                                                                    
chart comparing  the retiree to  active employee  ratios for                                                                    
both TRS and PERS in Alaska  to the ratios of public pension                                                                    
systems across  the U.S.  In Alaska, both  TRS and  PERS had                                                                    
approximately a  4 to 1  retiree-to-active ratio,  while the                                                                    
national average was approximately 0.8  to 1. He stated that                                                                    
actuaries described  the Alaska plans as  significantly more                                                                    
"mature"  demographically  compared  to the  broader  public                                                                    
pension landscape.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Stapp   thought    that   the   demographic                                                                    
information was  important because  it affected the  rate of                                                                    
return  and the  cash  balance of  the  retirement plan.  He                                                                    
stated  that  such  outflows  posed a  risk,  and  that  his                                                                    
primary concern  was to properly  assess the risk.  He noted                                                                    
that  he knew  many  individuals who  wanted  a pension.  He                                                                    
stressed  the importance  of relying  on  accurate data.  He                                                                    
understood that  many public employees believed  Tier IV was                                                                    
insufficient  to  meet  retirement needs,  particularly  for                                                                    
those who  had not  enrolled in SBS.  He emphasized  that it                                                                    
was  a  critical  policy conversation  and  the  legislature                                                                    
needed to make the right decision.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  added that all  mature pension plans  had negative                                                                    
cash flows, but  tended to be stable.  However, the negative                                                                    
cash  flows  increased  in closed  plans  because  a  higher                                                                    
percentage of  assets of the  plan were paid out,  which had                                                                    
an impact on the plan's investment strategy.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stapp asked if it  would be fair to summarize                                                                    
the  situation by  saying that,  as the  number of  retirees                                                                    
increased relative to active  employees, it became necessary                                                                    
to divert more  funds in order to  continue paying benefits.                                                                    
He suggested  that it was  similar to needing  to reallocate                                                                    
resources from one group to another.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Bond  responded that he  would not describe it  in those                                                                    
exact terms,  but generally, as  the number  of participants                                                                    
in a  plan increased and  more contributions were  made, the                                                                    
plan  had more  flexibility. The  flexibility included  more                                                                    
options for managing  contributions, making investments, and                                                                    
spreading risk across a broader pool of plan participants.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:17:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster stated that the  committee would adjourn, as                                                                    
several  members   needed  to   attend  bill   hearings.  He                                                                    
confirmed that he  would retain the question  queue list for                                                                    
future reference.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
HB  78  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster   reviewed  the  meeting  agenda   for  the                                                                    
following day.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:17:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 3:17 p.m.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 78 Additional Document - Buck 2023 Acctuarial Evaltions for Legacy DB.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 Additional Document - TRR Survey Results.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 Additonal Document - AMHS ADN article 02.24.25.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 Additonal Document - Workforce Profile 2024.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 - Presentation HFIN Tyler Bond NIRS 2.18.25.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 Additional Doc Enduring-Challenges.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 Additional Doc Better-Bang-for-the-Buck-.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78
HB 78 NIRS-Pensionomics-2025-Report-FINAL.pdf HFIN 2/18/2025 1:30:00 PM
HB 78