Ladies and Gentlemen,
First order of business is the call-in number for our Wednesday 11:00 a.m. call: 877-366-071 Passcode: 54949688#
ISSUES:
312 - The Senate has introduced SB 397, sponsored by Sen. Rick Jones w/ Richardville and Nofs co-sponsors. The Senate version is one we could live with. The House Government Operations Committee will take up HB 4522 tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9:00 a.m. I e-mailed the latest draft earlier. We will continue to be opposed to the House version. We will present the same written testimony we offered last committee hearing. Pension Tax - SB 409, introduced by Sen. Geoff Hansen, adds the following exemption: RETIREMENT OR PENSION BENEFITS FROM EMPLOYMENT WITH A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY THAT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, CHAPTER 531. 49 STAT.620. This bill has been sent directly to the
Senate floor with no committee hearing. We expect action on the bill this week. Health care cost-sharing - As we discussed, this issue is beginning to slow down as legislators come to the realization that this is complicated stuff. I will have more info as it is available but there is currently no planned committee hearings this week on this issue. Retiree health care - House Bills 4701/4702 only apply to state employees but these bills call for a 4% salary contribution to retiree health care from those in the Defined Benefit plan and they move all state employees hired after 1997 into an HSA with the state making a one-time lump sum payment depending on how long you have been employed by the state. Consolidation - The Senate will begin their hearings on the package of bills passed by the House dealing with consolidation starting Wednesday morning at 8:30. Sen. Jansen is going to try and combine the House bills with the Municipal Partnership bill he sponsored and that we have had success in amending to incorporate "impact" bargaining. Gonna be another great week in Lansing.
Jim
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