In a surprise attack, Senate Republicans, with the help of three Democrats, took over the floor on Friday night and pulled four bills from committee and passed them with 25-to-24 votes. This was a backroom deal that never saw the light of day.

In a move not seen in decades, the Republican minority moved to the “9th Order of Business” which allowed them to bypass all rules and bring these bills to the floor without committee approval.  SB 6378 would do the following: 

1)   Close Plan 2 and force all new hires into Plan 3

2)   Eliminate all Early Retirement factors for new hires which would raise the current penalties to 8% per year for every year prior to age 65.

3)   Allow the Employer to skip their payments to the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability of Plan 1, a total of $394 million in 2013.

As reported last, the hearing on this bill went well and there appeared to be no interest from the Democrats who control the committee to move the bill forward. Our arguments against it include the following: 

1)   Closing Plan 2 puts Plan 2 members at risk by creating the same underfunding that has plagued Plan 1.

2)   Forcing new hires into Plan 3 put the entire system at risk. The State Investment Board testified that due to the “liquid” nature of Plan 3, less long term, high yield investments are possible which would in turn lower everyone’s rate of return, driving up contribution rates.

Please contact the following Senators and tell them to stop the attack on your pension system – Start with your senator first  

Legislative Hotline – 1-800-562-6000 

Other bills passed include the entire budget which slashes millions more from Local Government than the Proposal from Senate and House Democrats. 

Volunteer Threats Still Alive 

Last week also saw a resurgence in the previously dead proposal to deny our ability to bargain over the use of volunteers in our work places. After both House and Senate versions died in committee, a revenue bill (HB 2801) included the same language.  Please call and ask them to strip Section 103 from HB 2801. 

Please contact the following House Members and tell them to “Strike Section 103 of HB 2801”.