The Florida Senate

175.351  Municipalities and special fire control districts having their own pension plans for firefighters.--For any municipality, special fire control district, local law municipality, local law special fire control district, or local law plan under this chapter, in order for municipalities and special fire control districts with their own pension plans for firefighters, or for firefighters and police officers, where included, to participate in the distribution of the tax fund established pursuant to s. 175.101, local law plans must meet the minimum benefits and minimum standards set forth in this chapter.

(1)  PREMIUM TAX INCOME.--If a municipality has a pension plan for firefighters, or a pension plan for firefighters and police officers, where included, which in the opinion of the division meets the minimum benefits and minimum standards set forth in this chapter, the board of trustees of the pension plan, as approved by a majority of firefighters of the municipality, may:

(a)  Place the income from the premium tax in s. 175.101 in such pension plan for the sole and exclusive use of its firefighters, or for firefighters and police officers, where included, where it shall become an integral part of that pension plan and shall be used to pay extra benefits to the firefighters included in that pension plan; or

(b)  Place the income from the premium tax in s. 175.101 in a separate supplemental plan to pay extra benefits to firefighters, or to firefighters and police officers where included, participating in such separate supplemental plan.

The premium tax provided by this chapter shall in all cases be used in its entirety to provide extra benefits to firefighters, or to firefighters and police officers, where included. However, local law plans in effect on October 1, 1998, shall be required to comply with the minimum benefit provisions of this chapter only to the extent that additional premium tax revenues become available to incrementally fund the cost of such compliance as provided in s. 175.162(2)(a). When a plan is in compliance with such minimum benefit provisions, as subsequent additional premium tax revenues become available, they shall be used to provide extra benefits. For the purpose of this chapter, "additional premium tax revenues" means revenues received by a municipality or special fire control district pursuant to s. 175.121 which exceed that amount received for calendar year 1997, and the term "extra benefits" means benefits in addition to or greater than those provided to general employees of the municipality and in addition to those in existence for firefighters on March 12, 1999. Local law plans created by special act before May 23, 1939, shall be deemed to comply with this chapter.

(2)  ADOPTION OR REVISION OF A LOCAL LAW PLAN.--No retirement plan or amendment to a retirement plan shall be proposed for adoption unless the proposed plan or amendment contains an actuarial estimate of the costs involved. No such proposed plan or proposed plan change shall be adopted without the approval of the municipality, special fire control district, or, where permitted, the Legislature. Copies of the proposed plan or proposed plan change and the actuarial impact statement of the proposed plan or proposed plan change shall be furnished to the division prior to the last public hearing thereon. Such statement shall also indicate whether the proposed plan or proposed plan change is in compliance with s. 14, Art. X of the State Constitution and those provisions of part VII of chapter 112 which are not expressly provided in this chapter. Notwithstanding any other provision, only those local law plans created by special act of legislation prior to May 23, 1939, shall be deemed to meet the minimum benefits and minimum standards only in this chapter.

(3)  Notwithstanding any other provision, with respect to any supplemental plan municipality:

(a)  Section 175.032(3)(a) shall not apply, and a local law plan and a supplemental plan may continue to use their definition of compensation or salary in existence on the effective date of this act.

(b)  Section 175.061(1)(b) shall not apply, and a local law plan and a supplemental plan shall continue to be administered by a board or boards of trustees numbered, constituted, and selected as the board or boards were numbered, constituted, and selected on December 1, 2000.

(c)  The election set forth in paragraph (1)(b) shall be deemed to have been made.

(4)  The retirement plan setting forth the benefits and the trust agreement, if any, covering the duties and responsibilities of the trustees and the regulations of the investment of funds must be in writing, and copies thereof must be made available to the participants and to the general public.

History.--s. 1, ch. 63-249; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 5, ch. 79-380; s. 21, ch. 81-168; s. 47, ch. 83-217; s. 20, ch. 86-41; s. 37, ch. 93-193; s. 933, ch. 95-147; s. 35, ch. 99-1; s. 4, ch. 2002-66; s. 5, ch. 2004-21.