Senate Bill sb1670er
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  1                                 
  2         An act relating to state financial matters;
  3         amending s. 121.4501, F.S.; revising the method
  4         for calculating interest on certain moneys
  5         transferred between retirement accounts;
  6         providing for credit for military service of
  7         members of the Public Employee Optional
  8         Retirement Program; amending s. 121.591, F.S.;
  9         prescribing procedures to follow if a
10         participant in the Public Employee Optional
11         Retirement Program receives an invalid
12         distribution; amending s. 215.47, F.S.;
13         revising standards for determining eligibility
14         of specified savings accounts, certificates of
15         deposit, time drafts, bills of exchange, bonds,
16         notes, and other instruments for investment by
17         the State Board of Administration; amending s.
18         1002.36, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;
19         providing an effective date.
20  
21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22  
23         Section 1.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
24  121.4501, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (22) is
25  added to that section, to read:
26         121.4501  Public Employee Optional Retirement
27  Program.--
28         (3)  ELIGIBILITY; RETIREMENT SERVICE CREDIT.--
29         (c)1.  Notwithstanding paragraph (b), each eligible
30  employee who elects to participate in the Public Employee
31  Optional Retirement Program and establishes one or more
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 1  individual participant accounts under the optional program may
 2  elect to transfer to the optional program a sum representing
 3  the present value of the employee's accumulated benefit
 4  obligation under the defined benefit retirement program of the
 5  Florida Retirement System. Upon such transfer, all service
 6  credit previously earned under the defined benefit program of
 7  the Florida Retirement System shall be nullified for purposes
 8  of entitlement to a future benefit under the defined benefit
 9  program of the Florida Retirement System. A participant is
10  precluded from transferring the accumulated benefit obligation
11  balance from the defined benefit program upon the expiration
12  of the period afforded to enroll in the optional program.
13         2.  For purposes of this subsection, the present value
14  of the member's accumulated benefit obligation is based upon
15  the member's estimated creditable service and estimated
16  average final compensation under the defined benefit program,
17  subject to recomputation under subparagraph 3. For state
18  employees enrolling under subparagraph (4)(a)1., initial
19  estimates will be based upon creditable service and average
20  final compensation as of midnight on June 30, 2002; for
21  district school board employees enrolling under subparagraph
22  (4)(b)1., initial estimates will be based upon creditable
23  service and average final compensation as of midnight on
24  September 30, 2002; and for local government employees
25  enrolling under subparagraph (4)(c)1., initial estimates will
26  be based upon creditable service and average final
27  compensation as of midnight on December 31, 2002. The dates
28  respectively specified above shall be construed as the
29  "estimate date" for these employees. The actuarial present
30  value of the employee's accumulated benefit obligation shall
31  be based on the following:
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 1         a.  The discount rate and other relevant actuarial
 2  assumptions used to value the Florida Retirement System Trust
 3  Fund at the time the amount to be transferred is determined,
 4  consistent with the factors provided in sub-subparagraphs b.
 5  and c.
 6         b.  A benefit commencement age, based on the member's
 7  estimated creditable service as of the estimate date. The
 8  benefit commencement age shall be the younger of the
 9  following, but shall not be younger than the member's age as
10  of the estimate date:
11         (I)  Age 62; or
12         (II)  The age the member would attain if the member
13  completed 30 years of service with an employer, assuming the
14  member worked continuously from the estimate date, and
15  disregarding any vesting requirement that would otherwise
16  apply under the defined benefit program of the Florida
17  Retirement System.
18         c.  For members of the Special Risk Class and for
19  members of the Special Risk Administrative Support Class
20  entitled to retain special risk normal retirement date, the
21  benefit commencement age shall be the younger of the
22  following, but shall not be younger than the member's age as
23  of the estimate date:
24         (I)  Age 55; or
25         (II)  The age the member would attain if the member
26  completed 25 years of service with an employer, assuming the
27  member worked continuously from the estimate date, and
28  disregarding any vesting requirement that would otherwise
29  apply under the defined benefit program of the Florida
30  Retirement System.
31  
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 1         d.  The calculation shall disregard vesting
 2  requirements and early retirement reduction factors that would
 3  otherwise apply under the defined benefit retirement program.
 4         3.  For each participant who elects to transfer moneys
 5  from the defined benefit program to his or her account in the
 6  optional program, the division shall recompute the amount
 7  transferred under subparagraph 2. not later than 60 days after
 8  the actual transfer of funds based upon the participant's
 9  actual creditable service and actual final average
10  compensation as of the initial date of participation in the
11  optional program. If the recomputed amount differs from the
12  amount transferred under subparagraph 2. by $10 or more, the
13  division shall:
14         a.  Transfer, or cause to be transferred, from the
15  Florida Retirement System Trust Fund to the participant's
16  account in the optional program the excess, if any, of the
17  recomputed amount over the previously transferred amount
18  together with interest from the initial date of transfer to
19  the date of transfer under this subparagraph, based upon 8
20  percent effective annual interest equal to the assumed return
21  on the actuarial investment which was used in the most recent
22  actuarial valuation of the system, compounded annually.
23         b.  Transfer, or cause to be transferred, from the
24  participant's account to the Florida Retirement System Trust
25  Fund the excess, if any, of the previously transferred amount
26  over the recomputed amount, together with interest from the
27  initial date of transfer to the date of transfer under this
28  subparagraph, based upon 6 percent effective annual interest,
29  compounded annually, pro rata based on the participant's
30  allocation plan.
31  
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 1         4.  As directed by the participant, the board shall
 2  transfer or cause to be transferred the appropriate amounts to
 3  the designated accounts. The board shall establish transfer
 4  procedures by rule, but the actual transfer shall not be later
 5  than 30 days after the effective date of the member's
 6  participation in the optional program unless the major
 7  financial markets for securities available for a transfer are
 8  seriously disrupted by an unforeseen event which also causes
 9  the suspension of trading on any national securities exchange
10  in the country where the securities were issued. In that
11  event, such 30-day period of time may be extended by a
12  resolution of the trustees. Transfers are not commissionable
13  or subject to other fees and may be in the form of securities
14  or cash as determined by the state board. Such securities
15  shall be valued as of the date of receipt in the participant's
16  account.
17         5.  If the board or the division receives notification
18  from the United States Internal Revenue Service that this
19  paragraph or any portion of this paragraph will cause the
20  retirement system, or a portion thereof, to be disqualified
21  for tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code, then the
22  portion that will cause the disqualification does not apply.
23  Upon such notice, the state board and the division shall
24  notify the presiding officers of the Legislature.
25         (22)  CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE.--Creditable service
26  of any member of the Public Employee Optional Retirement
27  Program shall include military service in the Armed Forces of
28  the United States as provided in the conditions outlined in s.
29  121.111(1).
30         Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
31  121.591, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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 1         121.591  Benefits payable under the Public Employee
 2  Optional Retirement Program of the Florida Retirement
 3  System.--Benefits may not be paid under this section unless
 4  the member has terminated employment as provided in s.
 5  121.021(39)(a) or is deceased and a proper application has
 6  been filed in the manner prescribed by the state board or the
 7  department. The state board or department, as appropriate, may
 8  cancel an application for retirement benefits when the member
 9  or beneficiary fails to timely provide the information and
10  documents required by this chapter and the rules of the state
11  board and department. In accordance with their respective
12  responsibilities as provided herein, the State Board of
13  Administration and the Department of Management Services shall
14  adopt rules establishing procedures for application for
15  retirement benefits and for the cancellation of such
16  application when the required information or documents are not
17  received. The State Board of Administration and the Department
18  of Management Services, as appropriate, are authorized to cash
19  out a de minimis account of a participant who has been
20  terminated from Florida Retirement System covered employment
21  for a minimum of 6 calendar months. A de minimis account is an
22  account containing employer contributions and accumulated
23  earnings of not more than $5,000 made under the provisions of
24  this chapter. Such cash-out must either be a complete lump-sum
25  liquidation of the account balance, subject to the provisions
26  of the Internal Revenue Code, or a lump-sum direct rollover
27  distribution paid directly to the custodian of an eligible
28  retirement plan, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, on
29  behalf of the participant. If any financial instrument issued
30  for the payment of retirement benefits under this section is
31  not presented for payment within 180 days after the last day
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 1  of the month in which it was originally issued, the
 2  third-party administrator or other duly authorized agent of
 3  the State Board of Administration shall cancel the instrument
 4  and credit the amount of the instrument to the suspense
 5  account of the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program
 6  Trust Fund authorized under s. 121.4501(6). Any such amounts
 7  transferred to the suspense account are payable upon a proper
 8  application, not to include earnings thereon, as provided in
 9  this section, within 10 years after the last day of the month
10  in which the instrument was originally issued, after which
11  time such amounts and any earnings thereon shall be forfeited.
12  Any such forfeited amounts are assets of the Public Employee
13  Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund and are not subject to
14  the provisions of chapter 717.
15         (1)  NORMAL BENEFITS.--Under the Public Employee
16  Optional Retirement Program:
17         (a)  Benefits in the form of vested accumulations as
18  described in s. 121.4501(6) shall be payable under this
19  subsection in accordance with the following terms and
20  conditions:
21         1.  To the extent vested, benefits shall be payable
22  only to a participant.
23         2.  Benefits shall be paid by the third-party
24  administrator or designated approved providers in accordance
25  with the law, the contracts, and any applicable board rule or
26  policy.
27         3.  To receive benefits under this subsection, the
28  participant must be terminated from all employment with all
29  Florida Retirement System employers, as provided in s.
30  121.021(39).
31  
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 1         4.  Benefit payments may not be made until the
 2  participant has been terminated for 3 calendar months, except
 3  that the board may authorize by rule for the distribution of
 4  up to 10 percent of the participant's account after being
 5  terminated for 1 calendar month if a participant has reached
 6  the normal retirement requirements of the defined benefit
 7  plan, as provided in s. 121.021(29).
 8         5.  If a member or former member of the Florida
 9  Retirement System receives an invalid distribution from the
10  Public Employee Optional Retirement Program Trust Fund, such
11  person shall repay the full invalid distribution to the trust
12  fund within 90 days after receipt of final notification by the
13  State Board of Administration or the third-party administrator
14  that the distribution was invalid. If such person fails to
15  repay the full invalid distribution within 90 days after
16  receipt of final notification, the person may be deemed
17  retired from the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program
18  by the state board, as provided pursuant to s. 121.4501(2)(j),
19  and shall be subject to the provisions of s. 121.122. If such
20  person is deemed retired by the state board, any joint and
21  several liability set out in s. 121.091(9)(c)2. becomes null
22  and void, and the state board, the Department of Management
23  Services, or the employing agency are not liable for gains on
24  payroll contributions that have not been deposited to the
25  person's account in the Public Employee Optional Retirement
26  Program, pending resolution of the invalid distribution. The
27  member or former member who has been deemed retired or who has
28  been determined by the board to have taken an invalid
29  distribution may appeal the agency decision through the
30  complaint process as provided under s. 121.4501(9)(f)3. As
31  used in this subparagraph, the term "invalid distribution"
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 1  means any distribution from an account in the Public Employee
 2  Optional Retirement Program which is taken in violation of the
 3  provisions of this section, s. 121.091(9), or s. 121.4501.
 4         Section 3.  Subsections (1), (2), and (5) of section
 5  215.47, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (17) is
 6  added to that section, to read:
 7         215.47  Investments; authorized securities; loan of
 8  securities.--Subject to the limitations and conditions of the
 9  State Constitution or of the trust agreement relating to a
10  trust fund, moneys available for investments under ss.
11  215.44-215.53 may be invested as follows:
12         (1)  Without limitation in:
13         (a)  Bonds, notes, or other obligations of the United
14  States or those guaranteed by the United States or for which
15  the credit of the United States is pledged for the payment of
16  the principal and interest or dividends thereof.
17         (b)  State bonds pledging the full faith and credit of
18  the state and revenue bonds additionally secured by the full
19  faith and credit of the state.
20         (c)  Bonds of the several counties or districts in the
21  state containing a pledge of the full faith and credit of the
22  county or district involved.
23         (d)  Bonds issued or administered by the State Board of
24  Administration secured solely by a pledge of all or part of
25  the 2-cent constitutional fuel tax accruing under the
26  provisions of s. 16, Art. IX of the State Constitution of
27  1885, as amended, or of s. 9, Art. XII of the 1968 revised
28  State Constitution.
29         (e)  Bonds issued by the State Board of Education
30  pursuant to ss. 18 and 19, Art. XII of the State Constitution
31  
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 1  of 1885, as amended, or to s. 9, Art. XII of the 1968 revised
 2  State Constitution, as amended.
 3         (f)  Bonds issued by the Florida Outdoor Recreational
 4  Development Council pursuant to s. 17, Art. IX of the State
 5  Constitution of 1885, as amended.
 6         (g)  Bonds issued by the Florida State Improvement
 7  Commission, Florida Development Commission, Division of Bond
 8  Finance of the Department of General Services, or Division of
 9  Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration.
10         (h)  Savings accounts in, or certificates of deposit
11  of, any bank, savings bank, or savings and loan association
12  incorporated under the laws of this state or organized under
13  the laws of the United States doing business and situated in
14  this state, the accounts of which are insured by the Federal
15  Government or an agency thereof and having a prime quality of
16  the highest letter and numerical ratings as provided for by at
17  least one nationally recognized statistical rating
18  organization, in an amount that does not exceed 15 percent of
19  the net worth of the institution, or a lesser amount as
20  determined by rule by the State Board of Administration,
21  provided such savings accounts and certificates of deposit are
22  secured in the manner prescribed in chapter 280.
23         (i)  Notes, bonds, and other obligations of agencies of
24  the United States.
25         (j)  Commercial paper of prime quality of the highest
26  letter and numerical rating as provided for by at least one
27  nationally recognized rating service.
28         (k)  Time drafts or bills of exchange drawn on and
29  accepted by a commercial bank, otherwise known as banker's
30  acceptances, which are accepted by a member bank of the
31  Federal Reserve System and are of prime quality of the highest
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 1  letter and numerical ratings as provided for by at least one
 2  nationally recognized statistical rating organization having
 3  total deposits of not less than $400 million.
 4         (l)  Negotiable certificates of deposit issued by
 5  domestic or foreign financial institutions in United States
 6  dollars of prime quality of the highest letter and numerical
 7  ratings as provided for by at least one nationally recognized
 8  statistical rating organization.
 9         (m)  Short-term obligations not authorized elsewhere in
10  this section to be purchased individually or in pooled
11  accounts or other collective investment funds, for the purpose
12  of providing liquidity to any fund or portfolio.
13         (n)  Securities of, or other interests in, any open-end
14  or closed-end management type investment company or investment
15  trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15
16  U.S.C. ss. 80a-1 et seq., as amended from time to time,
17  provided that the portfolio of such investment company or
18  investment trust is limited to obligations of the United
19  States Government or any agency or instrumentality thereof and
20  to repurchase agreements fully collateralized by such United
21  States Government obligations and provided that such
22  investment company or investment trust takes delivery of such
23  collateral either directly or through an authorized custodian.
24         (2)  With no more than 25 percent of any fund in:
25         (a)  Bonds, notes, or obligations of any municipality
26  or political subdivision or any agency or authority of this
27  state, if the obligations are rated investment grade by at
28  least one nationally recognized statistical rating
29  organization such obligations are rated in any one of the
30  three highest ratings by two nationally recognized rating
31  service.  However, if only one nationally recognized rating
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 1  service shall rate such obligations, then such rating service
 2  must have rated such obligations in any one of the two highest
 3  classifications heretofore mentioned.
 4         (b)  Notes secured by first mortgages on Florida real
 5  property, insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing
 6  Administration or the United States Department of Veterans
 7  Affairs.
 8         (c)  Investments collateralized by first mortgages
 9  covering single-family Florida residences, provided such
10  mortgages do not exceed $60,000, do not exceed 80 percent of
11  value, are not delinquent, and are originated by a lender
12  regulated by the state or Federal Government and the aggregate
13  of the collateral furnished is at least 150 percent of the
14  aggregate investment under this subsection.  The mortgages
15  used for collateral shall be segregated by the lending
16  institution so that such segregation may be confirmed by
17  independent audit.  In the event any such mortgage used as
18  collateral becomes more than 3 months delinquent, the lender
19  shall immediately substitute therefor a mortgage of equal or
20  greater value.
21         (c)(d)  Mortgage securities which represent
22  participation in or are collateralized by mortgage loans
23  secured by real property. Such securities must be issued by an
24  agency of or enterprise sponsored by the United States
25  Government, including, but not limited to, the Government
26  National Mortgage Association, the Federal National Mortgage
27  Association, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
28         (d)(e)  Group annuity contracts of the pension
29  investment type with insurers licensed to do business in this
30  state which are rated investment grade by at least one
31  nationally recognized rating service, except that amounts
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 1  invested by the board with any one insurer shall not exceed 3
 2  percent of its assets.
 3         (e)(f)  Certain interests in real property and related
 4  personal property, including mortgages and related instruments
 5  on commercial or industrial real property, with provisions for
 6  equity or income participation or with provisions for
 7  convertibility to equity ownership; and interests in
 8  collective investment funds. Associated expenditures for
 9  acquisition and operation of assets purchased under this
10  provision or of investments in private equity or other private
11  investment partnerships or limited liability companies shall
12  be included as a part of the cost of the investment.
13         1.  The title to real property acquired under this
14  paragraph shall be vested in the name of the respective fund.
15         2.  For purposes of taxation of property owned by any
16  fund, the provisions of s. 196.199(2)(b) do not apply.
17         3.  Real property acquired under the provisions of this
18  paragraph shall not be considered state lands or public lands
19  and property as defined in chapter 253, and the provisions of
20  that chapter do not apply to such real property.
21         (f)(g)  Fixed-income obligations not otherwise
22  authorized by this section issued by foreign governments or
23  political subdivisions or agencies thereof, supranational
24  agencies, foreign corporations, or foreign commercial
25  entities, if the obligations are rated investment grade by at
26  least one nationally recognized rating service.
27         (g)(h)  A portion of the funds available for investment
28  pursuant to this subsection may be invested in rated or
29  unrated bonds, notes, or instruments backed by the full faith
30  and credit of the government of Israel.
31  
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 1         (h)(i)  Obligations of agencies of the government of
 2  the United States, provided such obligations have been
 3  included in and authorized by the Florida Retirement System
 4  Defined Benefit Plan Investment Policy Statement established
 5  in s. 215.475.
 6         (i)(j)  United States dollar-denominated obligations
 7  issued by foreign governments, or political subdivisions or
 8  agencies thereof, supranational agencies, foreign
 9  corporations, or foreign commercial entities.
10         (j)(k)  Asset-backed securities not otherwise
11  authorized by this section.
12         (5)  With no more than 25 20 percent of any fund in
13  corporate obligations and securities of any kind of a foreign
14  corporation or a foreign commercial entity having its
15  principal office located in any country other than the United
16  States of America or its possessions or territories, not
17  including United States dollar-denominated securities listed
18  and traded on a United States exchange which are a part of the
19  ordinary investment strategy of the board.
20         (17)  The State Board of Administration may sell short
21  any of the securities and investments authorized under this
22  section.
23         Section 4.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section
24  1002.36, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
25         1002.36  Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.--
26         (4)  BOARD OF TRUSTEES.--
27         (e)  The board of trustees is invested with full power
28  and authority to:
29         1.  Appoint a president, faculty, teachers, and other
30  employees and remove the same as in its judgment may be best
31  and fix their compensation.
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 1         2.  Procure professional services, such as medical,
 2  mental health, architectural, and engineering.
 3         3.  Procure legal services without the prior written
 4  approval of the Attorney General.
 5         4.  Determine eligibility of students and procedure for
 6  admission.
 7         5.  Provide for the students of the school necessary
 8  bedding, clothing, food, and medical attendance and such other
 9  things as may be proper for the health and comfort of the
10  students without cost to their parents, except that the board
11  of trustees may set tuition and other fees for nonresidents.
12         6.  Provide for the proper keeping of accounts and
13  records and for budgeting of funds.
14         7.  Enter into contracts.
15         8.  Sue and be sued.
16         9.  Secure public liability insurance.
17         10.  Do and perform every other matter or thing
18  requisite to the proper management, maintenance, support, and
19  control of the school at the highest efficiency economically
20  possible, the board of trustees taking into consideration the
21  purposes of the establishment.
22         11.  Receive gifts, donations, and bequests of money or
23  property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, from any
24  person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity. However, the
25  board of trustees may not obligate the state to any
26  expenditure or policy that is not specifically authorized by
27  law. If the bill of sale, will, trust indenture, deed, or
28  other legal conveyance specifies terms and conditions
29  concerning the use of such money or property, the board of
30  trustees shall observe such terms and conditions.
31  
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 1         12.  Deposit outside the State Treasury such moneys as
 2  are received as gifts, donations, or bequests and may disburse
 3  and expend such moneys, upon its own warrant, for the use and
 4  benefit of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and
 5  its students, as the board of trustees deems to be in the best
 6  interest of the school and its students. Such money or
 7  property shall not constitute or be considered a part of any
 8  legislative appropriation, and such money shall not be used to
 9  compensate any person for engaging in lobbying activities
10  before the House of Representatives or Senate or any committee
11  thereof.
12         13.  Sell or convey by bill of sale, deed, or other
13  legal instrument any property, real or personal, received as a
14  gift, donation, or bequest, upon such terms and conditions as
15  the board of trustees deems to be in the best interest of the
16  school and its students.
17         14.  Invest such moneys in securities enumerated under
18  s. 215.47(1), (2)(c) (2)(d), (3), (4), and (9), and in The
19  Common Fund, an Investment Management Fund exclusively for
20  nonprofit educational institutions.
21         Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
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