Retirement Update

Last Friday 2/12/2010, the Retirement and Independent Entities Committee met again. From 12-3pm committee members listened to public comments not heard last Wednesday, and voted on each of the bills: SB 43 (reduces benefits for rehired retirees), SB 63 (reduces retirement benefits in half for new hires as of 7/1/2011), and SB 94 (eliminates the 1.5% contribution to current employees’ 401k). Each bill passed through the committee with a 3-2 vote, with Sen. Liljenquist, Sen. Bramble, and Sen. Butters voting for each bill, and Sen. Goodfellow and Sen. Mayne voting against each bill. Now SB 43, SB 63, and SB 94 go to the Senate floor for discussion. The bills are currently on the Senate Time Certain – 2nd Reading Calendar. It is expected that the Senate floor will hear the bills tomorrow – Thursday 2/18/2010.


To clarify, Sen. Liljenquist’s SB 42 – Retirement Eligibility Modifications – is being held in Rules. Sen. Liljenquist has committed he is not pushing SB 42 and it will remain in Rules and die there. SB 42 would have increased the Public Employees Retirement System from a 30 year system to a 35 year system, and the Public Safety Retirement System from a 20 year system to a 25 year system over the next five years. This would have affected both current and future employees.

However, Sen. Liljenquist has pulled this bill because of UPEA’s efforts and members contacting him and their individual legislators.