19-3501. Pension plans authorized; employees covered; contributions; funding past service benefits; joinder in plan by two or more cities or villages; reports.

(1) The city council of cities of the first class and cities of the second class and the village board of trustees of villages may, by appropriate ordinance or proper resolution, establish a pension plan designed and intended for the benefit of the regularly employed or appointed full-time employees of the city or village. Any recognized method of funding a pension plan may be employed. The plan shall be established by appropriate ordinance or proper resolution, which may provide for mandatory contribution by the employee. The city or village may also contribute, in addition to any amounts contributed by the employee, amounts to be used for the purpose of funding employee past service benefits. Any two or more cities of the first class, cities of the second class, and villages may jointly establish such a pension plan by adoption of appropriate ordinances or resolutions. Such a pension plan may be integrated with old age and survivors insurance, otherwise generally known as social security.

(2) Beginning December 31, 1998, through December 31, 2017:

(a) The city clerk or village clerk of a city or village with a retirement plan established pursuant to this section and section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code shall file with the Public Employees Retirement Board an annual report on such plan and shall submit copies of such report to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The Auditor of Public Accounts may prepare a review of such report pursuant to section 84-304.02 but is not required to do so. The annual report shall be in a form prescribed by the Public Employees Retirement Board and shall contain the following information for each such retirement plan:

(i) The number of persons participating in the retirement plan;

(ii) The contribution rates of participants in the plan;

(iii) Plan assets and liabilities;

(iv) The names and positions of persons administering the plan;

(v) The names and positions of persons investing plan assets;

(vi) The form and nature of investments;

(vii) For each defined contribution plan, a full description of investment policies and options available to plan participants; and

(viii) For each defined benefit plan, the levels of benefits of participants in the plan, the number of members who are eligible for a benefit, and the total present value of such members' benefits, as well as the funding sources which will pay for such benefits.

If a plan contains no current active participants, the city clerk or village clerk may file in place of such report a statement with the Public Employees Retirement Board indicating the number of retirees still drawing benefits, and the sources and amount of funding for such benefits; and

(b) If such retirement plan is a defined benefit plan which was open to new members on January 1, 2004, in addition to the reports required by section 13-2402, the city council or village board of trustees shall cause to be prepared an annual report and shall file the same with the Public Employees Retirement Board and the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee of the Legislature and submit to the Auditor of Public Accounts a copy of each report. The Auditor of Public Accounts may prepare a review of such report pursuant to section 84-304.02 but is not required to do so. If the city council or village board of trustees does not submit a copy of the report to the Auditor of Public Accounts within six months after the end of the plan year, the Auditor of Public Accounts may audit, or cause to be audited, the city or village. All costs of the audit shall be paid by the city or village. The report shall consist of a full actuarial analysis of each such retirement plan established pursuant to this section. The analysis shall be prepared by an independent private organization or public entity employing actuaries who are members in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries, and which organization or entity has demonstrated expertise to perform this type of analysis and is unrelated to any organization offering investment advice or which provides investment management services to the retirement plan. The report to the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee shall be submitted electronically.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to firefighters or police officers who are included under an existing pension or retirement system established by the municipality employing such firefighters or police officers or the Legislature. If a city of the first class decreases in population to less than five thousand, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent revised certified count by the United States Bureau of the Census, any police officer or firefighter employed by such city on or prior to the date such city becomes a city of the second class shall retain the level of benefits established by the Legislature for police officers or firefighters employed by a city of the first class on the date such city becomes a city of the second class.

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