(1) A law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 expense fund is created within the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 fund.

     (2) The state investment board has the full power to invest, reinvest, manage, contract, sell, or exchange investment money in the expense fund. The state investment board is authorized to adopt investment policies for the money in the expense fund. All investment and operating costs associated with the investment of money shall be paid pursuant to RCW 43.33A.160 and 43.84.160. With the exception of these expenses, the earnings from the investment of the money shall be retained by the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 fund.

     (3) All investments made by the investment board shall be made with the exercise of that degree of judgment and care pursuant to RCW 43.33A.140 and the investment policy established by the state investment board.

     (4) When appropriate for investment purposes, the state investment board may commingle money in the expense fund with other funds.

     (5) The authority to establish all policies relating to the expense fund, other than the investment policies as set forth in subsections (2) through (4) of this section, resides with the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board. With the exception of investments by, and expenses of, the state investment board set forth in subsection (2) of this section, disbursements from this expense fund may be made only on the authorization of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board, and money in the expense fund may be spent only for the purposes of defraying the expenses of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board as provided in section 5, chapter 2, Laws of 2003.

     (6) The state investment board shall routinely consult and communicate with the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board on the investment policy, earnings of the trust, and related needs of the expense fund.

     (7) The law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board shall administer the expense fund in a manner reasonably designed to be actuarially sound. The assets of the expense fund must be sufficient to defray the obligations of the account including the costs of administration. Money used for administrative expenses is subject to the allotment of all expenditures pursuant to chapter 43.88 RCW. However, an appropriation is not required for expenditures. Administrative expenses include, but are not limited to, the salaries and expenses of law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board personnel including lease payments, travel, and goods and services necessary for operation of the board, audits, and other general costs of conducting the business of the board.

     (8) The state investment board shall allocate from the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 fund to the expense fund the amount necessary to cover the expenses of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board.

[2003 c 92 § 6.]