Senate Bill 947 Summary

• Extends the sunset date from July 1, 2018 to July 1, 2021 for provisions allowing retired public school employees to work in critical shortage disciplines without forfeiting retirement benefits.

• Permits retirants employed in critical shortage areas (as designated by the superintendent of public instruction) to work up to 3 years without losing retirement allowance or health care subsidies, provided the reporting unit pays 100% of unfunded liability contribution rates.

• Allows retirants employed as substitute teachers or instructional coaches/school improvement facilitators to earn up to 1/3 of their final average compensation without benefit forfeiture, with reporting units paying full unfunded liability contributions.

• Exempts retired teachers employed at universities in teaching, research, or program-department direction roles from benefit restrictions and service credit limitations.

• Requires reporting units to submit annual reports to the retirement system documenting retirant employment, including names, job roles, and compensation; allows contiguous school districts to request additions to the critical shortage disciplines list with evidence of local shortages.