2 Republican FRS retirement changes are still alive in the legislature. Police, firemen, county

workers, teachers, need to all read this.

http://feaweb.org/oppose-changes-to-florida-retirement-system

Significant Threats to Your Retirement Benefits



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The state is trying to reach into your pocket again. This time, Florida Legislators are going after your retirement (HB 5701 and SB 2022). Contact your Legislator(s) to encourage them to vote against any legislation that would reduce retirement benefits or increase out-of-pocket costs for retirement benefits. Significant threats to pensions are still being pushed, discussed, and negotiated behind closed doors.

Contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to vote “NO” on HB 5701 and SB 2022. Urge your Legislators to tell their fellow Conference Committee members to oppose HB 5701and SB 2022.

Dangerous Ground: Conference Committee Meetings

At this point in the 2010 Legislative Session, legislative activity moves even further behind closed doors than usual. Conference Committee meetings, a process particularly crucial to finalizing the budget-appropriations process, are slated to begin very soon.

Out of the 30 retirement bills introduced in this 2010 Legislative Session, only a few active bills remain, but these bills call for major changes.

The extraordinary response from FEA members voicing their opposition to any reduction in FRS retirement benefits has slowed or stalled all but two of these bills. However, the legislative process allows for any part, or all, of a stalled bill to be amended onto another piece of legislation. FEA members and all public employees must remain vigilant in opposition to changes in FRS retirement benefits.

Do not become discouraged or confused by Legislators who tell you these retirement bills are dead, or that you and FEA have the facts wrong. There is an ongoing effort to push through changes and reductions to you retirement benefits. Oppose the proposed legislation below:

HB 5701 by Rep. Rivera, R-112, Miami
HB 5701 is a bill eliminating the Health Insurance Subsidy (HIS) for FRS retirees that passed the House of Representatives. This bill will eliminate a benefit that FRS retirees receive; consisting of a $5 per month subsidy for each year of service they have been credited under the FRS benefit plan. The subsidy is capped at 30 years of total service, which equals up to $150 per month subsidy toward their monthly insurance coverage for retirees. For retirees receiving the maximum benefit, this amounts to loss of $1,800 per year – that’s an $1800 out-of pocket loss that the retiree will have to replace while trying to make ends meet on a fixed income! The bill remains a possible horse-trade issue during Conference Committee negotiations.

SB 2022 by Senator J.D. Alexander, R-17, Lake Wales
SB 2022 is a bill that establishes an employee contribution to the FRS retirement benefit plan for all classes of retirement participants, including the FRS investment plan participants, beginning July 1, 2010. SB 2022 passed a Senate floor vote on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, despite public testimony against the bill from FEA, AFSCME, the Police Benevolent Association, and the Firefighter. SB 2022 re-establishes an employee contribution – which has not existed since July 1, 1974. Although this bill does not propose any reductions to FRS retirement benefits, it does propose that beginning July 1, 2010, public employees participating in the FRS plan AND the optional/investment retirement plan begin making employee contributions to the respective plan Employees participating in FRS retirement will be hit with an out-of-pocket, payroll deduction of 0.25 % of their gross annual compensation. If passed into law, the employee contribution rates would be set by law each year in an annual rate bill the Legislature would pass. This bill is highly likely to be discussed by House and Senate Budget Conferees.

Contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to vote “no” on HB 5701 and SB 2022. Urge your Legislators to tell their fellow Legislators who are Conference Committee members that they are opposed to HB 5701and SB 2022.

Find your Senators: go to www.flsenate.gov and look for “Find Your Legislators” at the bottom of the menu on the left side of the web site.

Find your Representatives: go to www.myfloridahouse.gov and click on the heading that reads “Find Your Representative” right below the blue bar and the red bar at the top of .the page.