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2000 SESSION

001751608
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 266
Offered January 24, 2000
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility and appropriateness of authorizing the participation of part-time teachers in the Virginia Retirement System.
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Patrons-- Almand, Abbitt, Baskerville, DeBoer, Ingram, Jackson, Phillips, Pollard, Tata and Wagner; Senator: Colgan
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, Article X, Section 11 of the Constitution of Virginia requires the General Assembly to maintain a state employees' retirement system, subject to restrictions and conditions prescribed by the General Assembly, that shall be administered in the best interests of the beneficiaries thereof; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Supplemental Retirement System, "a body corporate and a retirement system for teachers, state employees, and employees of participating political subdivisions," was continued as the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), an independent agency, pursuant to action by the 1994 Session of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, for purposes of participation in VRS, "teacher" is defined as one who is "regularly employed full time on a salaried basis as a professional or clerical employee of a county, city, or other local public school board"; and

WHEREAS, as the challenge to attract and retain the highest quality instructional personnel intensifies in school divisions across the country, some states have explored the extension of retirement benefits to part-time instructional personnel; and

WHEREAS, the ability of the Commonwealth's school divisions to hire and retain those instructional personnel who will best prepare and educate Virginia's youth for the new millennium might be enhanced by the availability of retirement benefits to part-time teachers; and

WHEREAS, broadening the opportunity to participate in the Virginia Retirement System requires careful consideration of a variety of fiscal and policy issues; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the feasibility and appropriateness of authorizing the participation of part-time teachers in the Virginia Retirement System. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine, among other things, the participation of part-time education personnel in retirement systems in other states; the demand for the use of part-time instructional personnel by Virginia school divisions; the potential fiscal impact of authorizing such participation in the Commonwealth; and such other issues as it deems appropriate.

The joint subcommittee shall be composed of nine members as follows: five members of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker, in accordance with the principles of Rule 16 of the Rules of the House of Delegates; and four members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $ 11,000.

The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staff support for the study. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2001 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.