Be sure to check back for updated information as current legislation is voted on.
Posted on 06/19/12 at 2:34pm
The Senate and House will convene on July 18 and presumably take up SB 1040(H3). The attached highlights the changes adopted by the House and hopefully will provide some clarity around the issues that may be in play once the legislature convenes in July.
Read Highlights of SB 1040 as passed June 14, 2012.
Posted on 06/15/12 at 1:45pm
School districts may be faced with financial uncertainty because the Senate didn’t pass SB 1040 —an unprecedented attack on school employee retirement. When they failed to get the necessary votes, they simply walked away. Now, the supposed savings gained by shifting costs to employees and retirees won’t materialize before the June 30 budget-setting deadline for school districts.
Posted on 06/15/12 at 10:04am
The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Steven Cook regarding today’s passage of Senate Bill 1040 in the State House:
“With their passage of Senate Bill 1040 today, most House Republicans went on record in support of the single worst attack on school employee retirement security in history.
Posted on 06/04/12 at 12:00pm
The Legislature reconvenes Tuesday for what could be its final week before their summer break and indications are that SB 1040 – the unprecedented assault on school employee retirement – will be on the agenda.
Many State Representatives are still unsure how they will vote on this bill that attacks the retirement security of future, current and retired school employees across the state. Contact them today! Urge them to vote NO on SB 1040. It’s not a fix for a long-term problem—one that school employees didn’t create. It merely shifts the financial burden from school districts to current and retired school employees who are already paying more than their share. Let them know that taxes on pensions, salary cuts and increased costs for health insurance are robbing you of the ability to support yourself and your family.
Posted on 06/01/12 at 12:49pm
SB 1040 saw no action in the House yesterday, but Representatives are meeting at noon today--probably to complete the budget. Regardless, we need to keep the pressure on Representatives to vote NO on the bill that puts the burden of paying for retirement on the backs of current, future and retired school employees.
Contact your Representative today. Let them know that taxes on pensions, salary cuts and increased costs for health insurance and retirement are robbing you of the ability to support yourself and your family.
We will keep you updated on any developments.
Posted on 05/31/12 at 10:22am
We've gotten information that the House may be taking up SB 1040 today--the plan to gut school employee retirement. The House made several changes to the Senate version, but some of the most damaging portions are still in place, such as forcing retirees to pay 20 percent of their health care.
It's critical that you contact your Representatives and urge them to vote NO on SB 1040. It's not a fix for a long-term problem--a problem that school employees didn't create. It merely shifts the financial burden from school districts to current and retired school employees who are already paying more than their share.
Posted on 05/24/12 at 2:56pm
SB 1040 is on its way to the full House after the House Appropriations Committee reported it out on a party-line vote of 17-10 with some important changes. The H-2 substitute approved today revised the previous H-1 substitute that was discussed by Committee members yesterday.
Posted on 05/23/12 at 4:04pm
At today’s House Appropriations Committee meeting, Committee members had their chance to ask questions of representatives from the House Fiscal Agency and Phil Stoddard, Director of Michigan’s Office of Retirement (ORS) about SB 1040 and the H-1 amendment .
Posted on 05/21/12 at 5:20pm
Last week, the Senate passed SB 1040 with changes, and this morning the House Appropriations Committee took up the legislation in an “emergency” Monday meeting. After making their own modifications to the bill, the Committee heard testimony from retirees and current and future school employees who described the devastating financial impact SB 1040 would have.
Posted on 05/18/12 at 2:56pm
No Democratic amendments made it into SB 1040 as passed by the Senate yesterday--not even Minority Leader Sen. Gretchen Whitmer's proposal to prefund the retirement system.
