LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN # 3

Bill Watch

NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND EMAILS OR LETTERS TO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATORS AND YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR LEGISLATION:

CHAIRMAN LUKE KENLEY s20@in.gov
SEN. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE DAVID LONG s16@in.gov
HOUSE SPEAKER BRIAN BOSMA h88@in.gov
CHAIRMAN JEFF ESPICH h82@in.gov
CHAIRMAN PHIL BOOTS s23@in.gov
REP. WOODY BURTON h58@in.gov
REP. TIM NEESE h48@in.gov
REP. MILO SMITH h59@in.gov
REP. ROBERT CHERRY h53@in.gov

Find your legislators’ email addresses here: http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/contact/contact.pl. Check your last issue of the Bulletin Board for mailing addresses.

HB 1123 THIRTEENTH CHECK
Author: Rep. Woody Burton (bio), Coauthors: Rep. Tim Neese, Rep. Milo Smith, Rep. Robert Cherry Senate Sponsors: Sen. Luke Kenley, Sen. Ed Charbonneau

Synopsis: Thirteenth checks. Provides for a thirteenth check to certain members of the:
(1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund (TRF); (2) public employees' retirement fund (PERF); and (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation officers' retirement fund (C & E fund).
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/HB/HB1123.1.html

1-09-12 Rep. Tim Neese added as coauthor
1-11-12 This bill was heard in the House Ways and Means Committee. Association Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Bourquein and Executive Director Andrew Thomas testified that a COLA is preferred, but our Association supports the bill. Chairman Jeff Espich held the bill for a later vote.
1-13-12 Bill passes Ways and Means Committee 18-0
1-13-12 Rep. Robert Cherry added as coauthor (Member of House Ways and Means Committee)
1-17-12 Rep. Milo Smith added as coauthor (Member of House Ways and Means Committee)
1-17-12 Committee report adopted by House of Representatives.
1-19-12 Bill set for second reading on House floor. Bill was not heard since there was not a quorum.
1-25-12 Bill passes 2nd Reading in the House
1-26-12 Bill passes 3rd Reading in the House with a vote of 82-2


SB 143 BUDGET SURPLUS
Author: Sen. Luke Kenley (bio), Coauthor: Sen. Charbonneau House Sponsor: Rep. Espich, Cosponsor: Rep. Crawford

Synopsis: Automatic taxpayer refund. Provides that for purposes of the automatic taxpayer refund statutes, amounts in the state tuition reserve fund are not considered in determining whether state reserves exceed 10% of general revenue. Specifies an additional requirement (a balance in the tuition reserve equal to at least 10% of the tuition support appropriation for the following year) that must be satisfied before a transfer may be made under the automatic taxpayer refund statutes. Specifies that: (1) if the amount of the excess reserves is less than $100,000,000, all of the excess reserves shall be transferred to the pension stabilization fund; and (2) if the amount of the excess reserves is $100,000,000 or more, 50% of the excess reserves shall be transferred to the pension stabilization fund and 50% of the excess reserves shall be used for the purposes of providing an automatic taxpayer refund. (Under current law, the excess reserves are divided equally between the pension stabilization fund and the automatic taxpayer refund, regardless of the dollar amount of the excess reserves.)
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN0143.1.html

1-19-12 Bill passes Senate Appropriations Committee 9-1.
Amendment 5: An attempt was made to remove the Pension Stabilization Fund as a recipient of the surplus in favor of school corporations. This amendment failed 4-7.
1-20-12 Charbonneau added as second author.
1-23-12 Bill passes 2nd Reading in the Senate; Amendment 2 failed with a vote of 14-36;
Amendment 1 failed with a voice vote
1-24-12 Bill passes 3rd reading in the Senate with a vote of 36-14


HB 1162 3% COLA
Author: Rep. Timothy Neese (bio)
Synopsis: PERF and TRF COLAs. Provides for a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for public employees' retirement fund (PERF) and teachers' retirement fund (TRF) members, survivors, and beneficiaries.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN1162.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-19-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-30-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.


SB 279 THIRTEENTH CHECK
Author: Sen. Ed Charbonneau (bio)

Synopsis: PERF and TRF thirteenth check. Provides for a thirteenth check for public employees’ retirement fund (PERF) and teachers’ retirement fund (TRF) members, survivors and beneficiaries.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN0279.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-19-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-30-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.


SB 218 TRF PENSION MINIMUM
Author: Sen. Tim Skinner (bio)

Synopsis: TRF retirement benefit adjustment. Provides that the pension portion of the monthly benefit payable to a member of the Indiana state teachers' retirement fund (TRF) who retired before January 1, 1980, and has at least 20 years of creditable service may not be less than $500.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN0218.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-19-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-30-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.


SB 220 MILITARY SERVICE CREDIT
Author: Sen. Tim Skinner

Synopsis: Public pension military service credit. Grants, under certain conditions, up to six years of service credit in the teachers' retirement fund for a member's past active duty military service.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN0220.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-19-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-30-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.


SB 408 DEFINED CONTRIBUTION
Author: Sen. Brent Waltz (bio)

Synopsis: Public employees' defined contribution plan. Requires an individual who, after the effective date of the public employees' defined contribution plan (plan), becomes a full-time employee of the state in a position that would otherwise be eligible for membership in the public employees' retirement fund to become a member of the plan.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN0408.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-19-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-30-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.


HB 1211 NURSING FACILITY SCREENING AND NOTIFICATION
Author: Rep. Suzanne Crouch (bio); Co-Authors: Rep. Charlie Brown (bio), Rep. Ron Bacon

Synopsis: Nursing facility screening and notification. Requires the dissemination of specified information as part of a nursing facility's notification to applicants. Specifies assessments that must be completed during a nursing facility preadmission screening.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LANGUAGE: http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/IN/IN1211.1.html

1-11-12 This bill has not been set for a hearing.
1-12-12 Rep. Ron Bacon added as coauthor
1-19-12 Bill passes Public Health Committee 9-0.
1-26-12 Bill passes 2nd reading.

Committees

House Ways & Means
Chair: Representative Espich
Vice Chair: Representative Crouch
Members: Rep. Cherry - Chair of Budget Subcommittee, Rep. Dermody - Chair Higher Ed Sub,
Rep. Pond - Chair Health & Medicaid Sub, Rep. M. Smith - Chair Tax Sub,
Rep. Thompson - Chair K-12 Sub, Rep. Baird, Clere,
Rep. Karickhoff, Rep. Kubacki, Rep. Leonard, Rep. McClain,
Rep. Truitt, Rep. Turner, Rep. Ubelhor,
Rep. Crawford R.M.M., Rep. Candelaria Reardon, Rep. Goodin,
Rep. Kersey, Rep. Klinker, Rep. Moses,
Rep. Pelath, Rep. Pryor, Rep. Welch

House Employment, Labor & Pensions
Chair: Representative Gutwein
Vice Chair: Representative Ellspermann
Members: Rep.Davis, Rep. Morris, Rep. Speedy, Rep. Steuerwald, Rep. Torr, Rep. Wesco,
Rep. Niezgodski R.M.M., Rep. Bartlett, Rep. C. Fry, Rep. Kersey, Rep. Moseley

Senate Pensions & Labor
Chair: Senator Boots
Members: Sen. Waltz R.M., Sen. Buck, Sen. Kruse, Sen. Schneider, Sen. Walker,
Sen. M. Young, Sen. Tallian R.M.M., Sen. Arnold, Sen. Skinner

Senate Appropriations
Chair: Senator Kenley
Members: Sen. Charbonneau R.M., Sen. Boots, Sen. Hershman, Sen. Lawson,
Sen. Miller, Sen. Mishler, Sen. Waltz, Sen. Wyss,
Sen. Broden R.M.M., Sen. Hume, Sen. Rogers, Sen. Tallian


submitted by:

Andrew P. Thomas, Executive Director
Indiana Retired Teachers Association
2629 Waterfront Parkway East Dr, Suite 105
Indianapolis, IN 46214
888.454.9333
athomas@retiredteachers.org