(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) It is in the best interests of the people of this state to administer the Denver public schools pension system within the state under the public employees' retirement association. (b) The combination of the Denver public schools retirement system as a separate division of the public employees' retirement association will recognize the distinctive characteristics of that system and its funding over sixty-three years, and will also facilitate the general assembly's anticipated assessment of the contribution and benefit structure of the association's defined benefit plans to maintain the perpetual sustainability of such plans based on the recommendations from the board of trustees of the association in 2010. (c) The state's seventy-seven-year investment in the defined benefit plans for Colorado public servants has served the state invaluably. The association has provided positive investment returns on funds that, when distributed as benefits, remain substantially within Colorado and fosters a professional and effective governmental service system. These features strengthen the provision of government services for all citizens of the state in ways that no other retirement system could, affecting the public safety and general welfare of the state for the better. (d) The current separation of pension plans and provisions between Denver public schools employees and the employees of all the other school districts in the state creates artificial barriers for employees to relocate between the systems. Therefore, this separation hinders competitive forces for the placement of teachers and other employees at their potential optimum employment location, preventing the maximization of employee value for all school districts and citizens within the state. (2) The general assembly further finds and declares that the purpose of this part 17 is to combine the two systems with the intent of facilitating the perpetual future maintenance, security, and sustainability of the defined benefit plans within the public employees' retirement association. Given the special services and benefits rendered by Colorado's public servants to the citizens of the state, it is the province, right, and obligation of the state to care for the members and the dependents and survivors of its public servants who are entitled to retirement benefits due to length of service or age or because they have been injured or disabled in service.
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