05/08/2005 01:59 PM Joint 141

        SB 141-PUBLIC EMPLOYEE/TEACHER RETIREMENT/BOARDS                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYDA GREEN  called the meeting to order at  1:59:25 PM. All                                                           
members  were  present. She  announced  that  members signed  the                                                               
message to  the presiding officers informing  them that committee                                                               
members did not come to  agreement. The letter also contained the                                                               
points that members agreed upon.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:59:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GREEN drew members' attention  to four items that her staff                                                               
and Representative Seaton's staff  identified as additional items                                                               
left open for future discussion:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Line 14(a), which was accidentally omitted yesterday                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Line 18 - members' discussion went in two directions                                                                       
     yesterday, neither of which was 100 percent factually                                                                      
     correct.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Line 22 (a) - although members did discuss different links                                                                 
     of service of the retirement and benefit board members, the                                                                
     staggered terms were not.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Line 39 - the Senate version had funding for the PERS/TRS                                                                  
     shortfall for one year for participating employers, which                                                                  
     was zeroed out in the House.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GREEN  informed members that  a packet of fiscal  notes was                                                               
distributed, which  needs to move  with the bill. She  added, "As                                                               
we  have other  things  subject to  negotiation  that affect  the                                                               
fiscal notes,  we probably should  just leave those open  and say                                                               
they are subject to the final free conference."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:02:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH asked if  members talked about staggered                                                               
terms - line 22  (a) - but not in the context  of a specific line                                                               
item.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GREEN said members talked  about the different term lengths                                                               
in the  House and Senate  versions so  line 22(a) is  better left                                                               
open.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:03:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS said at yesterday's  meeting he was assuming that                                                               
a staggered term process was in place.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  noted the only difference  in the versions                                                               
is  that the  terms for  the  two PERS  and TRS  members and  two                                                               
financial  officers  are  specified   in  statute  in  the  House                                                               
version.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:03:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS  moved that the  conference committee  accept the                                                               
corrected  report  dated  May  8, 2005  prepared  by  the  Senate                                                               
Finance  Committee entitled,  SB 141  Differences Between  Senate                                                             
and House  as the  outline of the  specific points  of difference                                                             
between the two bodies.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WEYHRAUCH objected  and  stated,  "One thing  I'd                                                               
like to do is - and I will  remove my objection - is since I just                                                               
got this  this morning, between  now and  next time we  meet just                                                               
look at that and  if I see an issue that we  didn't take care of,                                                               
I reserve the right to bring  it in if there's something on here.                                                               
I'm  sure the  staff  did a  perfect  job but  -  I'll remove  my                                                               
objection."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON objected and said,  " I didn't get a chance                                                               
to mention that I think -  I mean we're talking about fiscal note                                                               
number 9  at this point. I  think we're talking about  all of the                                                               
fiscal notes.  I believe  your fiscal  note number  8 establishes                                                               
the 69.5  and ours was  fiscal note number  9 that zeroed  it out                                                               
but just to note, it would be 8 and 9."                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS  said he  would be more  amendable to  saying the                                                               
two bodies  disagree on the  fiscal notes rather  than addressing                                                               
dollar amounts.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON removed his objection.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GREEN thanked  members  for making  great  headway on  the                                                               
agreed upon items  and said it is  time to go to  the next level.                                                               
She  announced  that  with  no   further  objection,  the  motion                                                               
carried.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked that the motion be clarified.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS stated,  "[Uniform] Rule 42 provides  that we are                                                               
to notify both  of our houses with a report  listing the specific                                                               
points of disagreement.  This is the list of  the specific points                                                               
of disagreement."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if submission  of the list amounts to                                                               
a request for limited powers of free conference.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GREEN said it would  imply that committee members have gone                                                               
as far as they can go.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON  asked  if,   by  submitting  the  letter,                                                               
committee  members were  informing both  bodies of  the list  and                                                               
requesting limited powers.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   GREEN  clarified   that  members   are  requesting   free                                                               
conference committee powers.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:12:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GREEN recessed to a call of the chair.