Happy 2024 to all,
It’s the time of year when New York State prepares for the yearly budget. As our union’s Legislative Office and the Statewide Political Action Committee (SWPAC) review the governor’s budget we prioritize the top six issues which affect members and retirees the most.
While these will be our budget priorities, please know that PEF Retirees will join PEF’s efforts to advocate in support of or opposition to the other items detailed in the budget analysis.
SWPAC’s goal is simply to highlight the major issues and maximize the efforts of our members on our most important issues:
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- Fix Tier 6
- Support SUNY Downstate
- Stop Closing State Prisons and Make Them Safer
- Don’t Hurt Our Retirees on Medicare by Eliminating the State’s Reimbursement of the Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA)
- Oppose New York’s Entry into the Interstate Nursing Compact
- Support A Skilled Nursing Benefit for Our Retirees
We are all aware that what happens in Albany and Washington has an effect on our lives. Shortly, all dues paying retirees will receive a mailing from the Retirees Office with information on the budget fight-back issues. Every year during NYS Budget notifications we send out a mailing encouraging people to educate themselves and take action. If we are to be successful in advocating for retirees, we need all hands on deck. You may love or hate politics but they it’s an integral part of our lives. It’s better to do what we can to keep and improve our situation as retirees.
This will be a pivotal and important year with each of us having an obligation to participate! We must engage, commit, and organize our efforts to accomplish our goals. “The purpose for organizing is to protect our hard-earned benefits!” Our ability to provide retirees the quality of living they deserve depends directly on the volume of involvement of our membership! That means each and every one of us advocating for ourselves.
When we identify critical issues on both the federal and state levels, we need everyone to step up and take action. We will be asking you to reach out to your elected representatives and tell them to support our bills and oppose budget proposals that hurt our members.
I’m including a proposed bill below which should absolutely be supported because this is an issue many of you have inquired about! Assemblyman Jones who sponsored the bill is a retired state employee from Region 7.
BILL NUMBER: A8602
SPONSOR: Jones
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to requiring health benefits for state and retired state employees to have the option to only cover the employee or retiree and their spouse or domestic partner
PURPOSE:
The proposed legislation would require health benefits for state and retired state employees have the option to only cover the employee or retiree and their spouse or domestic partner.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 164 of the civil service law is amended by adding a new subdivi-sion 3 to read as follows: Each employee shall be entitled to choose between coverage for themselves, coverage for themselves and their spouse or domestic partner, or coverage for themselves, their spouse or domestic partner, and 6 of their dependents.
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill is needed due to a lack of flexibility in the current plan available to state and retired state employees. Each year, insurance premiums increase while retiree pensions remain subject to annual Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA). This COLA increase is often insufficient to offset the costs of increased premiums, especially for married couples without dependents who must enroll in the family plan. By allowing for the distinction between a partner and family plan, these two groups particularly married couples who currently pay family plan rates) can enjoy lower rates and decreased financial stress.