SEPTEMBER 2005 - Legislative Package Moving Forward - After years of lobbying and months of intense study, a proposal is nearly finished to raise the $12,000 COLA base to a higher level.

Bills' Progress

Nearly eight months into the 2005-2006 Legislative Session, three Association backed bills have been reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Public Service and are now making their way through the legislative process.

Of great interest to veterans, retired on disability, is SB2035. Filed by Senator Steven Panagiotakos (D-Lowell), the bill was originally SB1584, but was assigned a new number upon its favorable release by the Public Service Committee. The bill is now awaiting action before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

As of press time, Association lobbyists had received assurances, from Ways and Means Chairman Therese Murray, that the Senate intends on bringing the bill up for a vote in the near future. Panagiotakos, who is the Committee's vice chairman, has been spearheading efforts to obtain quick passage.

SB2035 grants a bonus ($15 for each year of creditable service, up to a maximum of $300 annually) to those veterans, who retired as a result of a work-related accidental disability. At this point, the bill remains retroactive to the date of one's retirement.

At the same time, two separate bills are progressing forward that would increase various survivor's benefits. HB291, which was filed by Representative Brad Jones (R-North Reading) on behalf of the Association, increases the minimum pension of survivors of active employees, who died as a result of a non-work related cause.

If passed, the minimum pension for survivors under Option D would increase from $3,000 to $6,000 annually. The bill was reported favorably to the House Committee on Ways and Means, where it is under review.

A second bill, that will increase the pension allowance paid to the surviving dependents of disability retirees, was filed by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC), is supported by the Association. HB13 was released favorably by both the Public Service and House Ways and Means Committees. The bill is now awaiting further action before the House Committee on Steering and Policy.

Option C Under Review

While a handful of bills have been discharged favorably from Public Service, the majority of the Association's bills remain under review or await public hearings.

Of great interest to a number of members is SB1565, the Option C recalculation legislation. As an indication of the great interest in this subject, as many as ten separate bills have been filed that would recalculate the Option C retirement based on an updated mortality table.

Last year, controversy arose when the Legislature instructed PERAC to implement a new updated mortality table for active employees, which is used to calculate Option C retirements. The table, that had previously been in use for more than 60 years, was based on 1928 life expectancies.