HB2631 - 542R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 38, chapter 5, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 38-802.01, to read:

START_STATUTE38-802.01. Employer responsibilities under the system

An employer shall submit any reports, data, paperwork or other materials that are requested by the board of trustees for any reason, including eligibility determinations and proper administration of the plan. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 38-847, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-847. Local boards

A. The administration of the system and responsibility for making the provisions of the system effective for each employer are vested in a local board. The department of public safety, the Arizona game and fish department, the department of emergency and military affairs, the university of Arizona, Arizona state university, northern Arizona university, each county sheriff's office, each county attorney's office, each county parks department, each municipal fire department, each eligible fire district, each community college district, each municipal police department, the department of law, the department of liquor licenses and control, the Arizona department of agriculture, the Arizona state parks board, each Indian reservation police agency and each Indian reservation firefighting agency shall have a local board. A nonprofit corporation operating pursuant to sections 28‑8423 and 28‑8424 shall have one local board for all of its members. Each local board shall be constituted as follows:

1. For political subdivisions or Indian tribes, the mayor or chief elected official or a designee of the mayor or chief elected official approved by the respective governing body as chairman chairperson, two members elected by secret ballot by members employed by the appropriate employer and two citizens, one of whom shall be the head of the merit system, or the head's designee from among the other members of the merit system, if it exists for the group of members, appointed by the mayor or chief elected official and with the approval of the governing body of the city or the governing body of the employer. The appointed two citizens shall serve on both local boards in a city or Indian tribes where both fire and police department employees are members.

2. For state agencies and nonprofit corporations operating pursuant to sections 28‑8423 and 28‑8424, two members elected by secret ballot by the members employed by the appropriate employer and three citizens appointed by the governor. Each state agency local board shall elect a chairman chairperson.

3. For fire districts, the chairperson of the fire district governing board or the chairperson's designee, two members elected by secret ballot by members employed by the fire district and two citizens appointed by the chairperson of the fire district governing board, one of whom is a resident of the fire district and one of whom has experience in personnel administration but who is not required to be a resident of the fire district.

4. For joint powers authorities organized pursuant to section 48‑805.01, the joint powers authority board chairman chairperson or a designee approved by the governing body, two members elected by secret ballot by members employed by the joint powers authority and two citizens, one of whom is a resident of one of the partner entities and one of whom has experience in personnel administration but who is not required to be a resident of a partner entity.

B. On the taking effect of this system for an employer, the appointments and elections of local board members shall take place with one elective and appointive local board member serving a term ending two years after the effective date of participation for the employer and other local board members serving a term ending four years after the effective date. Thereafter, every second year, and as a vacancy occurs, an office shall be filled for a term of four years in the same manner as previously provided.

C. Each local board shall be fully constituted pursuant to subsection A of this section within sixty days after the employer's effective date of participation in the system. If the deadline is not met, on the written request of any member who is covered by the local board or the employer to the board of trustees, the board of trustees may appoint all vacancies of the local board pursuant to subsection A of this section and designate whether each appointive position is for a two year two‑year or four year four‑year term. If the board of trustees cannot find individuals to serve on the local board who meet the requirements of subsection A of this section, the board of trustees may appoint individuals to serve as interim local board members until qualified individuals are appointed or elected. Each local board shall meet at least twice a year. Each member of a local board, within ten days after the member's appointment or election, shall take an oath of office that, so far as it devolves on the member, the member shall diligently and honestly administer the affairs of the local board and that the member shall not knowingly violate or willingly permit allow to be violated any of the provisions of law applicable to the system. Within one hundred eighty days after appointment or election, each board member shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees.

D. Except as limited by subsection E of this section, a local board shall have such powers as may be necessary to discharge the following duties:

1. To decide all questions of eligibility for membership, service credits and benefits and determine the amount, manner and time of payment of any benefits and disability and in the line of duty death benefits under the system.

2. To prescribe procedures to be followed by claimants in filing applications for disability and in the line of duty death benefits.

3. To make a determination as to the right of any claimant to a disability and in the line of duty death benefit and to afford any claimant or the board of trustees, or both, a right to a rehearing on the original determination. Except as otherwise required by law, unless all parties involved in a matter presented to the local board for determination otherwise agree, the local board shall commence a hearing on the matter within ninety days after the date the matter is presented to the local board for determination. If a local board fails to commence a hearing as provided in this paragraph, on a matter presented to the local board for determination, the relief demanded by the party petitioning the local board is deemed granted and approved by the local board. The granting and approval of this relief is considered final and binding unless a timely request for rehearing or appeal is made as provided in this article, unless the board of trustees determines that granting the relief requested would violate the internal revenue code or threaten to impair the system's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code. If the board of trustees determines that granting the requested relief would violate the internal revenue code or threaten to impair the system's status as a qualified plan, the board of trustees may refuse to grant the relief by issuing a written determination to the local board and the party petitioning the local board for relief. The decision by the board of trustees is subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

4. To request and receive from the employers and from members such information as is necessary for the proper administration of the system and action on claims for eligibility for membership and disability and in the line of duty death benefits, and to forward such information to the board of trustees.

5. To distribute, in such manner as the local board determines to be appropriate, information explaining the system received from the board of trustees.

6. To furnish the employer, the board of trustees and the legislature, on request, with such annual reports with respect to the administration of the system as are reasonable and appropriate.

7. To receive and review the actuarial valuation of the system for its group of members.

8. To receive and review reports of the financial condition and of the receipts and disbursements of the fund from the board of trustees.

9. To appoint medical boards as provided in section 38‑859.

10. To sue and be sued to effectuate the duties and responsibilities set forth in this article.

E. A local board shall have no power to may not add to, subtract from, modify or waive any of the terms of the system, change or add to any benefits provided by the system or waive or fail to apply any requirement of eligibility for membership or disability and in the line of duty death benefits under the system. Notwithstanding any limitations periods imposed in this article, including subsection D, paragraph 3 and subsections G and H of this section, if the board of trustees determines a local board decision violates the internal revenue code or threatens to impair the system's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code, the local board's decision is not final and binding and the board of trustees may refrain from implementing or complying with the local board decision.

F. A local board, from time to time, shall establish and adopt such rules as it deems necessary or desirable for its administration and to adjudicate claims and disputes. At a minimum, the board's rules shall incorporate the model uniform rules for local board procedure that are issued by the board of trustees. All rules and decisions of a local board shall be uniformly and consistently applied to all members in similar circumstances. If a claim or dispute is presented to a local board for determination but the local board has not yet adopted uniform rules of procedure for adjudication of the claim or dispute, the local board shall adopt and use the model uniform rules of local board procedure that are issued by the board of trustees' fiduciary counsel to adjudicate the claim or dispute.

G. Except as otherwise provided in this article, any action by a majority vote of the members of a local board that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the system and the internal revenue code shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons affected by it unless a timely application for a rehearing or appeal is filed as provided in this article. No Not later than twenty days after taking action, the local board shall submit to the board of trustees the minutes from the local board meeting that include the name of the member affected by its decision, a description of the action taken and an explanation of the reasons and all documents submitted to the local board for the action taken, including the reports of a medical board. the board of trustees may require additional records from the local board or the employer or may require that the local board conduct a rehearing on the matter. The board of trustees may not implement and comply with any local board action that does not comply with the internal revenue code or that threatens to jeopardize the system's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code.

H. A claimant may apply for or the board of trustees may apply for require a rehearing before the local board within the time periods prescribed in this subsection, except that if a decision of a local board violates the internal revenue code or threatens to jeopardize the system's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code, no any limitation period for the board of trustees to seek require a rehearing of a local board decision applies does not apply. An application for a rehearing shall be filed in writing with a member of the local board or its secretary within sixty days after:

1. The applicant‑claimant receives notification of the local board's original action by certified mail, by attending the meeting at which the action is taken or by receiving benefits from the system pursuant to the local board's original action, whichever occurs first.

2. The applicant-board of trustees receives notification of the local board's original action as prescribed by subsection G of this section by email or certified mail.

I. A hearing before a local board on a matter remanded from the superior court is not subject to a rehearing before the local board.

J. Decisions of local boards are subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

K. When making a ruling, determination or calculation, the local board shall be entitled to rely on information furnished by the employer, a medical board, the board of trustees, independent legal counsel or the actuary for the system.

L. Each member of a local board is entitled to one vote. A majority is necessary for a decision by the members of a local board at any meeting of the local board.

M. The local board shall adopt such bylaws as it deems desirable. The local board shall elect a secretary who may, but need not, be a member of the local board. The secretary of the local board shall keep a record and prepare minutes of all meetings in compliance with chapter 3, article 3.1 of this title and forward the minutes and all necessary communications to the board of trustees as prescribed by subsection G of this section. Within one hundred eighty days after election, the local board's secretary shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties.

N. The fees of the medical board and of the local board's independent legal counsel and all other expenses of the local board necessary for the administration of the system shall be paid by the employer and not the board of trustees or system at such rates and in such amounts as the local board shall approve. Legal counsel that is employed by the local board is independent of the employer and any employee organization or member Each local board shall hire an independent legal counsel who is not an employee of or contracted with the employer or any employee organization or member and owes its duty of loyalty only to the local board in connection with its representation of the local board. Within one hundred eighty days after appointment, the local board's independent legal counsel shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties.

O. The local board shall issue directions to the board of trustees concerning all benefits that are to be paid from the employer's account pursuant to the provisions of the fund. The local board shall keep on file, in such manner as it may deem convenient or proper, all reports from the board of trustees and the actuary.

P. The local board and the individual members of the local board shall be indemnified from the assets of the employer for any judgment against the local board or its members, including attorney fees and costs, arising from any act, or failure to act, made in good faith pursuant to the provisions of the system, including expenses reasonably incurred in the defense of any claim relating to the act or failure to act.

Q. An employer and a local board shall submit any reports, data, paperwork or other materials that are requested by the board of trustees for any reason, including local board action or inaction or to investigate a complaint regarding a local board. if the board of trustees or its designee through an audit or investigation finds that the local board is not in compliance with statute or the model uniform rules for local board procedure, the board of trustees shall notify the local board of the noncompliance and the local board shall have sixty days to take corrective action. IF the local board fails to take adequate corrective action, the board of trustees may act on behalf of the local board until the matter is resolved. The board of trustees or its designee shall work with the local board members to take the appropriate corrective actions, including appointing any vacant or noncompliant local board member positions, if necessary, to bring the local board and its membership, policies and procedures into compliance. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Title 38, chapter 5, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 38-847.02, 38‑847.03 and 38‑847.04, to read:

START_STATUTE38-847.02. Voluntary local board consolidation; membership; duties

A. A local board may enter into an intergovernmental agreement with other local boards to consolidate the boards for the respective employers.

B. The consolidated local board shall work with the board of trustees to ensure that the new board is duly empaneled and that all appointments or elections for local board members are completed in a timely manner.

C. The consolidated local board shall decide eligibility for membership and disability and in the line of duty death benefits and have all of the duties and responsibilities of a local board pursuant to this article.

D. All consolidated local board members, the local board's secretary and the local board's independent legal counsel shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties, within one hundred eighty days after appointment or election.

E. The local board's independent legal counsel may not be employed by or contracted with the employer or any employee organizations or member of the plan. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE38-847.03. Uniform medical review; administrator; disability decisions; definitions

A. Within ten days after a local board receives an application for disability benefits or in the line of duty death benefits, the local board secretary shall submit the application to the administrator.

B. After a local board has made a determination on the application, or the application is deemed granted pursuant to section 38‑847, subsection D, paragraph 3 or section 38‑893, subsection D, paragraph 2 for disability benefits or in the line of duty death benefits, The administrator or the administrator's designee shall review the findings. The administrator may contract with medical professionals to review applications under this section.

C. The board of trustees or the administrator may require additional records from the local board or the employer or may require that the local board conduct a rehearing on the matter.

D. If the board of trustees disagrees with the decision of the local board after a rehearing requested pursuant to subsection C of this section, the decision is subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

E. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Administrator" means the administrator appointed by the board pursuant to section 38‑848.

2. "Local board" means a local board formed under section 38‑847, 38‑847.02, 38‑893 or 38‑893.01. END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE38-847.04. Board of trustees; determination of retirement benefits; definitions

A. Each employer after receiving a completed retirement application from a member, within ten days after receipt, shall submit the retirement application to the board. The board or its designee shall decide all questions of eligibility for service credits and retirement benefits and will determine the amount, manner and time of payment of the retirement benefits. If the board or its designee finds discrepancies in the information received, the board or its designee shall contact the employer and applicant and resolve the discrepancies before the start date of the benefits.

B. For the purposes of this section, "employer" and "member" have the same meanings prescribed in sections 38‑842 and 38‑881. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 38-848, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-848. Board of trustees; powers and duties; independent trust fund; administrator; agents and employees; advisory committee

A. Beginning January 1, 2017, The board of trustees shall consist of nine members and shall have the rights, powers and duties that are set forth in this section. The term of office of members shall be five years to expire on the third Monday in January of the appropriate year. The board shall select a chairperson from among its members each calendar year. Members are eligible to receive compensation in an amount of $50 a day, but not to exceed $1,000 in any one fiscal year, and are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to chapter 4, article 2 of this title. Beginning January 1, 2017, The board consists of the following members appointed as follows:

1. Two members representing law enforcement, one of whom is appointed by the president of the senate and one of whom is appointed by the governor. A statewide association representing law enforcement in this state shall forward nominations to the appointing elected officials, providing at least three nominees for each position. At least one of the members appointed under this paragraph shall be an elected local board member.

2. Two members representing firefighters, one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one of whom is appointed by the governor. A statewide association representing firefighters in this state shall forward nominations to the appointing elected officials, providing at least three nominees for each position. At least one of the members appointed under this paragraph shall be an elected local board member.

3. Three members representing cities and towns in this state, one of whom is appointed by the president of the senate, one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one of whom is appointed by the governor. An association representing cities and towns in this state shall forward nominations to the appointing elected officials, providing at least three nominees for each position. These nominees shall represent taxpayers or employers and may not be members of the system.

4. One member who represents counties in this state and who is appointed by the governor. An association representing county supervisors in this state shall forward nominations to the governor, providing at least three nominees for the position. These nominees shall represent taxpayers or employers and may not be members of the system.

5. One member who is appointed by the governor from a list of three nominees forwarded by the board. The board shall select the nominees to forward to the governor from a list of at least five nominees received from the advisory committee.

B. Each appointment made pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be chosen from the list of nominees provided to the appointing elected official. For any appointment made by the governor pursuant to subsection A of this section, before appointment by the governor, a prospective member of the board shall submit a full set of fingerprints to the governor for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to section 41‑1750 and Public Law 92‑544. The department of public safety may exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of investigation. A board member may be reappointed. Notwithstanding section 38‑295, a board member may be removed from office only for cause by the appointing power or because the board member has vacated the member's seat on the board. A board member who is removed for cause shall be provided written notice and an opportunity for a response. The appointing power may remove a board member based on written findings that specify the reason for removal. Any vacancy that occurs other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the balance of the term. All vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment. A board member vacates the office if the member either:

1. Is absent without excuse from three consecutive regular meetings of the board.

2. Resigns, dies or becomes unable to perform board member duties.

C. The members of the board who are appointed pursuant to subsection A of this section and who are not members of the system shall be independent, qualified professionals who are responsible for the performance of fiduciary duties and other responsibilities required to preserve and protect the fund and shall have at least ten years' substantial experience as any one or a combination of the following:

1. A portfolio manager acting in a fiduciary capacity.

2. A securities analyst.

3. A senior executive or principal of a trust institution, investment organization or endowment fund acting either in a management or an investment‑related capacity.

4. A chartered financial analyst in good standing as determined by the chartered financial analyst institute.

5. A current or former professor or instructor at the college or university level in the field of economics, finance, actuarial science, accounting or pension‑related subjects.

6. An economist.

7. Any other senior executive engaged in the field of public or private finances or with experience with public pension systems.

8. A senior executive in insurance, banking, underwriting, auditing, human resources or risk management.

D. All monies in the fund shall be deposited and held in a public safety personnel retirement system depository. Monies in the fund shall be disbursed from the depository separate and apart from all monies or funds of this state and the agencies, instrumentalities and subdivisions of this state, except that the board may commingle the assets of the fund and the assets of all other plans entrusted to its management in one or more group trusts, subject to the crediting of receipts and earnings and charging of payments to the appropriate employer, system or plan. The monies shall be secured by the depository in which they are deposited and held to the same extent and in the same manner as required by the general depository law of this state. For purposes of making the decision to invest in securities owned by the fund or any plan or trust administered by the board, the fund and assets of the plans and the plans' trusts are subject to the sole management of the board for the purpose of this article except that, on the board's election to invest in a particular security or make a particular investment, the assets comprising the security or investment may be chosen and managed by third parties approved by the board. The board may invest in portfolios of securities chosen and managed by a third party. The board's decision to invest in securities such as mutual funds, commingled investment funds, exchange traded funds, private equity or venture capital limited partnerships, real estate limited partnerships or limited liability companies and real estate investment trusts whose assets are chosen and managed by third parties is not an improper delegation of the board's investment authority.

E. All contributions under this system and other retirement plans that the board administers shall be forwarded to the board and shall be held, invested and reinvested by the board as provided in this article. All property and monies of the fund and other retirement plans that the board administers, including income from investments and from all other sources, shall be retained for the exclusive benefit of members, as provided in the system and other retirement plans that the board administers, and shall be used to pay benefits to members or their beneficiaries or to pay expenses of operation and administration of the system and fund and other retirement plans that the board administers.

F. The board shall have the full power in its sole discretion to invest and reinvest, alter and change the monies accumulated under the system and other retirement plans and trusts that the board administers as provided in this article. In addition to its power to make investments managed by others, the board may delegate the authority the board deems necessary and prudent to investment management pursuant to section 38‑848.03, as well as to the administrator, employed by the board pursuant to subsection M, paragraph 6 of this section, and any deputy or assistant administrators to invest the monies of the system and other retirement plans and trusts that the board administers if the administrator, investment management and any deputy or assistant administrators follow the investment policies that are adopted by the board. The board may commingle securities and monies of the fund, the elected officials' retirement plan, the corrections officer retirement plan and other plans or monies entrusted to its care, subject to the crediting of receipts and earnings and charging of payments to the account of the appropriate employer, system or plan. In making every investment, the board shall exercise the judgment and care under the circumstances then prevailing that persons of ordinary prudence, discretion and intelligence exercise in the management of their own affairs, not in regard to speculation but in regard to the permanent disposition of their funds, considering the probable income from their funds as well as the probable safety of their capital, if:

1. Not more than eighty percent of the combined assets of the system or other plans that the board manages is invested at any given time in corporate stocks, based on the cost value of the stocks irrespective of capital appreciation.

2. Not more than five percent of the combined assets of the system or other plans that the board manages is invested in corporate stock issued by any one corporation, other than corporate stock issued by corporations chartered by the United States government or corporate stock issued by a bank or insurance company.

3. Not more than five percent of the voting stock of any one corporation is owned by the system and other plans that the board administers, except that this limitation does not apply to membership interests in limited liability companies.

4. Corporate stocks and exchange traded funds eligible for direct purchase are restricted to stocks and exchange traded funds that, except for bank stocks, insurance stocks, stocks acquired for coinvestment in connection with the system's or the plans' or trusts' commingled investments and interests in limited liability companies and mutual funds, are any of the following:

(a) Listed or approved on issuance for listing on an exchange registered under the securities exchange act of 1934, as amended (15 United States Code sections 78a through 78pp).

(b) Designated or approved on notice of issuance for designation on the national market system of a national securities association registered under the securities exchange act of 1934, as amended (15 United States Code sections 78a through 78pp).

(c) Listed or approved on issuance for listing on an exchange registered under the laws of this state or any other state.

(d) Listed or approved on issuance for listing on an exchange of a foreign country with which the United States is maintaining diplomatic relations at the time of purchase, except that not more than twenty percent of the combined assets of the system and other plans that the board manages is invested in foreign securities, based on the cost value of the stocks irrespective of capital appreciation.

(e) An exchange traded fund that is recommended by the chief investment officer of the system, that is registered under the investment company act of 1940 (15 United States Code sections 80a‑1 through 80a‑64) and that is both traded on a public exchange and based on a publicly recognized index.

G. Notwithstanding any other law, the board is not required to invest in any type of investment that is dictated or required by any entity of the federal government and that is intended to fund economic development projects, public works or social programs, but may consider such economically targeted investments pursuant to its fiduciary responsibility. The board, on behalf of the system and all other plans or trusts the board administers, may invest in, lend monies to or guarantee the repayment of monies by a limited liability company, limited partnership, joint venture, partnership, limited liability partnership or trust in which the system and plans or trusts have a financial interest, whether the entity is closely held or publicly traded and that, in turn, may be engaged in any lawful activity, including venture capital, private equity, the ownership, development, management, improvement or operation of real property and any improvements or businesses on real property or the lending of monies.

H. Conference call meetings of the board that are held for investment purposes only are not subject to chapter 3, article 3.1 of this title, except that the board shall maintain minutes of these conference call meetings and make them available for public inspection within twenty‑four hours after the meeting. The board shall review the minutes of each conference call meeting and shall ratify all legal actions taken during each conference call meeting at the next scheduled meeting of the board.

I. The board is not liable for the exercise of more than ordinary care and prudence in the selection of investments and performance of its duties under the system and is not limited to so‑called "legal investments for trustees", but all monies of the system and other plans that the board administers shall be invested subject to all of the conditions, limitations and restrictions imposed by law.

J. Except as provided in subsection F of this section, the board may:

1. Invest and reinvest the principal and income of all assets that the board manages without distinction between principal and income.

2. Sell, exchange, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of any investments made on behalf of the system or other plans the board administers in the name of the system or plans by private contract or at public auction.

3. Also:

(a) Vote on any stocks, bonds or other securities.

(b) Give general or special proxies or powers of attorney with or without power of substitution.

(c) Exercise any conversion privileges, subscription rights or other options and make any payments incidental to the exercise of the conversion privileges, subscription rights or other options.

(d) Consent to or otherwise participate in corporate reorganizations or other changes affecting corporate securities, delegate discretionary powers and pay any assessments or charges in connection therewith.

(e) Generally exercise any of the powers of an owner with respect to stocks, bonds, securities or other investments held in or owned by the system or other plans whose assets the board administers.

4. Make, execute, acknowledge and deliver any other instruments that may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the powers granted in this section.

5. Register any investment held by the system or other plans whose assets the board administers in the name of the system or plan or in the name of a nominee or trust.

6. At the expense of the system or other plans that the board administers, enter into an agreement with any bank or banks for the safekeeping and handling of securities and other investments coming into the possession of the board. The agreement shall be entered into under terms and conditions that secure the proper safeguarding, inventory, withdrawal and handling of the securities and other investments. Access to and deposit or withdrawal of the securities from any place of deposit selected by the board is not allowed and may not be made except as the terms of the agreement provide.

7. Appear before local boards and the courts of this state and political subdivisions of this state through counsel or an appointed representative to protect the fund or the assets of other plans that the board administers. The board is not responsible for the actions or omissions of the local boards under this system but may seek require a review or rehearing of actions or omissions of local boards. The board does not have a duty to review actions of the local boards but may do so in its discretion in order to protect the fund. A limitation period does not prohibit the board or administrator from contesting or require the board or administrator to implement or comply with a local board decision that violates the internal revenue code or that threatens to impair the tax‑qualified status of the system or any plan administered by the board or administrator.

8. Empower the fund administrator to take actions on behalf of the board that are necessary for the protection and administration of the fund or the assets of other plans that the board administers pursuant to the guidelines of the board.

9. Do all acts, whether or not expressly authorized, that may be deemed necessary or proper for the protection of the investments held in the fund or owned by other plans or trusts that the board administers.

10. Settle threatened or actual litigation against any system or plan that the board administers.

K. Investment expenses and operation and administrative expenses of the board shall be accounted for separately and allocated against investment income.

L. The board, as soon as possible within a period of six months following the close of any fiscal year, shall transmit to the governor and the legislature a comprehensive annual financial report on the operation of the system and other plans that the board administers that contains, among other things:

1. A balance sheet.

2. A statement of income and expenditures for the year.

3. A report on an actuarial valuation of its assets and liabilities.

4. A list of investments owned.

5. The total rate of return, yield on cost, and percent of cost to market value of the fund and the assets of other plans that the board administers.

6. Any other statistical and financial data that may be necessary for the proper understanding of the financial condition of the system and other plans that the board administers and the results of their operations. A synopsis of the annual report shall be published for the information of members of the system, the elected officials' retirement plan or the corrections officer retirement plan.

7. An analysis of the long‑term level percent of employer contributions and compensation structure and whether the funding methodology is sufficient to pay one hundred percent of the unfunded accrued liability under the elected officials' retirement plan.

8. An estimate of the aggregate employer contribution rate for the public safety personnel retirement system for the next ten fiscal years and an estimate of the aggregate employer contribution rate for the corrections officer retirement plan for the next ten fiscal years.

9. An estimate of the employer contribution rates for the next ten fiscal years for each of the following employers within the public safety personnel retirement system:

(a) Department of liquor licenses and control.

(b) Department of public safety.

(d) University of Arizona.

(e) Arizona state university.

(f) Arizona game and fish department.

(g) Department of law.

(h) Department of emergency and military affairs.

(i) Arizona state parks board.

10. An estimate of the employer contribution rates for the next ten fiscal years for each of the following employers within the corrections officer retirement plan:

(a) State department of corrections.

(b) Department of public safety.

(d) Department of juvenile corrections.

11. An estimate of the aggregate fees paid for private equity investments, including management fees and performance fees.

M. The board shall:

1. Maintain the accounts of the system and other plans that the board administers and issue statements to each employer annually and to each member who requests a statement.

2. Report the results of the actuarial valuations to the local boards and employers.

3. Contract on a fee basis with an independent investment counsel to advise the board in the investment management of the fund and assets of other plans that the board administers and with an independent auditing firm to audit the board's accounting.

4. Permit Allow the auditor general to make an annual audit and transmit the results to the governor and the legislature.

5. Contract on a fee basis with an actuary who shall make actuarial valuations of the system and other plans that the board administers, be the technical adviser of the board on matters regarding the operation of the funds created by the provisions of the system, the elected officials' retirement plan, the corrections officer retirement plan and the public safety cancer insurance policy program and perform other duties required in connection therewith. The actuary must be a member of a nationally recognized association or society of actuaries.

6. Employ, as administrator, a person, state department or other body to serve at the pleasure of the board.

7. Establish procedures and guidelines for contracts with actuaries, auditors, investment counsel and legal counsel and for safeguarding of securities.

N. The administrator, under the direction of the board, shall:

1. Administer this article.

2. Be responsible for the recruitment, hiring and day‑to‑day management of employees.

3. Invest the monies of the system and other plans that the board administers as the board deems necessary and prudent as provided in subsections F and J of this section and subject to the investment policies and fund objectives adopted by the board.

4. Establish and maintain an adequate system of accounts and records for the system and other plans that the board administers, which shall be integrated with the accounts, records and procedures of the employers so that the system and other plans that the board administers operate most effectively and at minimum expense and that duplication of records and accounts is avoided.

5. In accordance with the board's governance policy and procedures and the budget adopted by the board, hire employees and services the administrator deems necessary and prescribe their duties, including the hiring of one or more deputy or assistant administrators to manage the system's operations, investments and legal affairs.

6. Be responsible for income, the collection of the income and the accuracy of all expenditures.

7. Recommend to the board annual contracts for the system's actuary, auditor, investment counsel, legal counsel and safeguarding of securities.

8. Perform additional duties and powers prescribed by the board and delegated to the administrator.

O. The system is an independent trust fund and the board is not subject to title 41, chapter 6. Contracts for goods and services approved by the board are not subject to title 41, chapter 23. As an independent trust fund whose assets are separate and apart from all other funds of this state, the system and the board are not subject to the restrictions prescribed in section 35‑154 or article IX, sections 5 and 8, Constitution of Arizona. Loans, guarantees, investment management agreements and investment contracts that are entered into by the board are contracts memorializing obligations or interests in securities that the board has concluded, after thorough due diligence, do not involve investments in Sudan or Iran or otherwise provide support to terrorists or in any way facilitate illegal immigration into the United States. These contracts do not involve the procurement, supply or provision of goods, equipment, labor, materials or services that would require the warranties required by section 41‑4401.

P. The board, the administrator, the deputy or assistant administrators and all persons employed by them are subject to title 41, chapter 4, article 4. The administrator, deputy or assistant administrators and other employees of the board are entitled to receive compensation pursuant to section 38‑611.

Q. In consultation with the director of the department of administration, the board may enter into employment agreements and establish the terms of those agreements with persons holding any of the following system positions:

1. Administrator.

2. Deputy or assistant administrator.

3. Chief investment officer.

4. Deputy chief investment officer.

5. Fiduciary or investment counsel.

R. The attorney general or an attorney approved by the attorney general and paid by the fund is the attorney for the board and shall represent the board in any legal proceeding or forum that the board deems appropriate. The board, administrator, deputy or assistant administrators and employees of the board are not personally liable for any acts done in their official capacity in good faith reliance on the written opinions of the board's attorney.

S. At least once in each five‑year period after the effective date, the actuary shall make an actuarial investigation into the mortality, service and compensation experience of the members and beneficiaries of the system and other plans that the board administers and shall make a special valuation of the assets and liabilities of the monies of the system and plans. Taking into account the results of the investigation and special valuation, the board shall adopt for the system and other plans that the board administers those mortality, service and other tables deemed necessary.

T. On the basis of the tables the board adopts, the actuary shall make a valuation of the assets and liabilities of the funds of the system and other plans that the board administers at least every year. By November 1 of each year the board shall provide a preliminary report and by December 31 of each year provide a final report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate on the contribution rate for the ensuing fiscal year.

U. Neither the board nor any member or employee of the board shall directly or indirectly, for himself or as an agent, in any manner use the monies or deposits of the fund except to make current and necessary payments, nor shall the board or any member or employee become an endorser or surety or in any manner an obligor for monies loaned by or borrowed from the fund or the assets of any other plans that the board administers.

V. Financial or commercial information that is provided to the board, employees of the board and attorneys of the board in connection with investments in which the board has invested or investments the board has considered for investment is confidential, proprietary and not a public record if the information is information that would customarily not be released to the public by the person or entity from whom the information was obtained.

W. A person who is a dealer as defined in section 44‑1801 and who is involved in securities or investments related to the board's investments is not eligible to serve on the board.

X. The public safety personnel retirement system advisory committee is established and shall serve as a liaison between the board and the members and employers of the system. The committee shall be appointed by the chairperson of the board from names submitted to the chairperson by associations representing law enforcement, firefighters, state government, counties, cities and towns and tribal governments. The committee shall select a chairperson from among its members each calendar year. The committee shall consist of the following ten members:

1. A member who is a law enforcement officer.

2. A member who is a firefighter.

3. A member of the elected officials' retirement plan.

4. A member of the corrections officer retirement plan.

5. A retiree from the public safety personnel retirement system.

6. A representative from a city or town in this state.

7. A representative from a county in this state.

8. A representative from a fire district in this state.

9. A representative from a state employer.

10. A representative from a tribal government located in this state. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 38-893, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE38-893. Local boards; powers and duties; rules; hearings; administrative review

A. The administration of the plan and the responsibility for making the provisions of the plan effective for each employer are vested in a local board. The state department of corrections, the department of juvenile corrections, the department of public safety, each participating county sheriff's department, each participating city or town, each participating employer of full‑time dispatchers for eligible groups as defined in section 38‑842 and the judiciary shall have a local board. Each local board is constituted as follows:

1. For the state departments, two members who are elected by secret ballot by members employed by that department in a designated position and two citizens who are appointed by the governor. The director of each state department shall appoint one member to the local board who is knowledgeable in personnel actions. Each state department local board shall elect a chairman chairperson.

2. For each participating county, the chairman chairperson of the board of supervisors, or the chairman's chairperson's designee who is approved by the board of supervisors, as chairman chairperson, two members who are elected by secret ballot by members employed by the participating county in a designated position and two citizens, one of whom shall be the head of the merit system if it exists for the group of members, who are appointed by the chairman chairperson of the board of supervisors with the approval of the board of supervisors.

3. For political subdivisions, the mayor or chief elected official or a designee of the mayor or chief elected official approved by the respective governing body as chairman chairperson, two members elected by secret ballot by members employed by the appropriate employer and two citizens, one of whom shall be the head of the merit system if it exists for the group of members, appointed by the mayor or chief elected official and with the approval of the city council or governing body of the employer.

4. For the judiciary, two members who are elected by secret ballot by members who are employed as a probation, surveillance or juvenile detention officer, a designee of the chief justice of the Arizona supreme court and two citizens, one of whom shall be the head of a human resource department for the group of members, appointed by the chief justice.

B. The appointments and elections of local board members shall take place with one elective and one appointive board member, as designated by the appointing authority, serving a term ending two years after the date of appointment or election and the other local board members serving a term ending four years after the date of appointment or election. Thereafter, every second year, and as a vacancy occurs, an office shall be filled for a term of four years in the same manner as provided in this section. Each local board shall meet at least twice each year.

C. Each local board shall be fully constituted pursuant to subsection A of this section within sixty days after the employer's effective date of participation in the plan. If the deadline is not met, on the written request of any member who is covered by the local board or the employer to the board of trustees, the board of trustees shall appoint all vacancies of the local board pursuant to subsection A of this section and designate whether each appointive position is for a two year two‑year or four year four‑year term. If the board of trustees cannot find individuals to serve on the local board who meet the requirements of subsection A of this section, the board of trustees may appoint individuals to serve as interim local board members until qualified individuals are appointed or elected. Within ten days after the member's appointment or election, each member of a local board shall take an oath of office that, so far as it devolves on the member, the member shall diligently and honestly administer the affairs of the local board and shall not knowingly violate or willingly permit allow to be violated any of the provisions of law applicable to the plan. Within one hundred eighty days after appointment or election, each board member shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties.

D. Except as limited by subsection E of this section, a local board shall:

1. Decide all questions of eligibility and service credits and determine the amount, manner and time of payment of any benefit for membership and disability and in the line of duty death benefits under the plan.

2. Make a determination as to the right of a claimant to a disability or in the line of duty death benefit and afford a claimant or the board of trustees, or both, a right to a rehearing on the original determination. Except as otherwise required by law, unless all parties involved in a matter presented to the local board for determination otherwise agree, the local board shall commence a hearing on the matter within ninety days after the date the matter is presented to the local board for determination. If a local board fails to commence a hearing as provided in this paragraph, on a matter presented to the local board for determination, the relief demanded by the party petitioning the local board is deemed granted and approved by the local board. The granting and approval of this relief is considered final and binding unless a timely request for rehearing or appeal is made as provided in this article, unless the board of trustees determines that granting the relief requested would violate the internal revenue code or threaten to impair the plan's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code. If the board of trustees determines that granting the requested relief would violate the internal revenue code or threaten to impair the plan's status as a qualified plan, the board of trustees may refuse to grant the relief by issuing a written determination to the local board and the party petitioning the local board for relief. The decision by the board of trustees is subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

3. Request and receive from the employers and from members information as is necessary for the proper administration of the plan and action on claims for disability and in the line of duty death benefits and forward the information to the board of trustees.

4. Distribute, in the manner the local board determines to be appropriate, information explaining the plan that is received from the board of trustees.

5. Furnish the employer, the board of trustees and the legislature, on request, with annual reports with respect to the administration of the plan that are reasonable and appropriate.

6. Appoint a medical board that is composed of a designated physician or physicians working in a clinic other than the employer's regular employee or contractor. If required, the local board may employ other physicians to report on special cases. The examining physician or clinic shall report the results of examinations made to the local board, and the secretary of the local board shall preserve the report as a permanent record.

7. Sue and be sued to effectuate the duties and responsibilities set forth in this article.

8. Prescribe procedures to be followed by claimants in filing applications for benefits.

9. Receive and review the actuarial valuation of the plan for its group of members.

10. Receive and review reports of the financial condition and of the receipts and disbursements of the fund from the board of trustees.

E. A local board has no power to may not add to, subtract from, modify or waive any of the terms of the plan, change or add to any benefits provided by the plan or waive or fail to apply any requirement of eligibility for membership or disability and in the line of duty death benefits under the plan. Notwithstanding any limitations periods imposed in this article, including subsections G and H of this section, if the board of trustees determines a local board decision violates the internal revenue code or threatens to impair the plan's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code, the local board's decision is not final and binding and the board of trustees may refrain from implementing or complying with the local board decision.

F. A local board, from time to time, shall establish and adopt rules as it deems necessary or desirable for its administration and to adjudicate claims or disputes. At a minimum the board's rules shall incorporate the model uniform rules for local board procedure that are issued by the board of trustees. All rules and decisions of a local board shall be uniformly and consistently applied to all members in similar circumstances. If a claim or dispute is presented to a local board for determination but the local board has not yet adopted uniform rules of procedure for adjudication of the claim or dispute, the local board shall adopt and use the model uniform rules of local board procedure that are issued by the board of trustees' fiduciary counsel to adjudicate the claim or dispute.

G. Except as otherwise provided in this article, an action by a majority vote of the members of a local board that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the plan and the internal revenue code is final, conclusive and binding on all persons affected by it, unless a timely application for a rehearing or appeal is filed as provided in this article. No Not later than twenty days after taking action, the local board shall submit to the board of trustees the minutes from the local board meeting that include the name of the member affected by its decision, a description of the action taken and an explanation of the reasons and all documents submitted to the local board for the action taken, including the reports of a medical board. the board of trustees may require additional records from the local board or the employer or may require that the local board conduct a rehearing on the matter. The board of trustees may not implement and comply with any local board action that does not comply with the internal revenue code or that threatens to jeopardize the plan's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code.

H. A claimant may apply for or the board of trustees may apply for require a rehearing before the local board within the time periods prescribed in this subsection, except that if a decision of a local board violates the internal revenue code or threatens to jeopardize the plan's status as a qualified plan under the internal revenue code, no any limitation period for the board of trustees to seek require a rehearing of a local board decision applies does not apply. A claimant or the board of trustees shall file an application for rehearing in writing with a member of the local board or its secretary within sixty days after:

1. The claimant receives notification of the local board's original action by certified mail, by attending the meeting at which the action is taken or by receiving benefits from the plan pursuant to the local board's original action, whichever occurs first.

2. The board of trustees receives notification of the local board's original action as prescribed by subsection G of this section by email or certified mail.

I. A hearing before a local board on a matter remanded from the superior court is not subject to a rehearing before the local board.

J. Decisions of local boards are subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

K. When making a ruling, determination or calculation, the local board is entitled to rely on information furnished by the employer, the board of trustees, independent legal counsel or the actuary for the plan.

L. Each member of a local board is entitled to one vote. A majority is necessary for a decision by the members of a local board at any meeting of the local board.

M. The local board shall adopt bylaws as it deems necessary. The local board shall elect a secretary who may, but need not, be a member of the local board. The secretary of the local board shall keep a record and prepare minutes of all meetings in compliance with chapter 3, article 3.1 of this title and forward the minutes and all necessary communications to the board of trustees as prescribed by subsection G of this section. Within one hundred eighty days after election, the local board secretary shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties.

N. Each local board shall hire an independent legal counsel. The local board's independent legal counsel may not be employed by or contracted with the employer or any employee organizations or member of the plan. Within one hundred eighty days after appointment, the local board's independent legal counsel shall complete local board training as prescribed by the board of trustees, including open meeting laws, ethics, legal review and fiduciary responsibilities and duties.

N. O. The employer and not the board of trustees or plan shall pay the fees of the medical board and of the local board's legal counsel and all other expenses of the local board necessary for the administration of the plan at rates and in amounts as the local board approves.

O. P. The local board shall issue directions to the board of trustees concerning all benefits that are to be paid from the employer's account pursuant to the provisions of the fund. The local board shall keep on file, in the manner it deems convenient and proper, all reports from the board of trustees and the actuary.

P. Q. The local board and the individual members of the local board are indemnified from the assets of the fund for any judgment against the local board or its members, including attorney fees and costs, arising from any act, or failure to act, made in good faith pursuant to the provisions of the plan.

R. An employer and a local board shall submit any reports, data, paperwork or other materials that are requested by the board of trustees for any reason, including local board action or inaction or to investigate a complaint regarding a local board. if the board of trustees or its designee through an audit or investigation finds that the local board is not in compliance with statute or the model uniform rules for local board procedure, the board of trustees shall notify the local board of the noncompliance and the local board shall have sixty days to take corrective action. IF the local board fails to take adequate corrective action, the board of trustees may act on behalf of the local board until the matter is resolved. The board of trustees or its designee shall work with the local board members to take the appropriate corrective actions, including appointing any vacant or noncompliant local board member positions, if necessary, to bring the local board and its membership, policies and procedures into compliance. END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Title 38, chapter 5, article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 38-893.01, to read:

START_STATUTE38-893.01. Voluntary local board consolidation; membership; duties

A. A local board may enter into an intergovernmental agreement with other local boards to consolidate the boards for the respective employers.

E. The local board's independent legal counsel may not be employed by or contracted with the employer or any employee organizations or member of the plan. END_STATUTE

Sec. 7. Effective date

This act is effective from and after December 31, 2020.