Friday, March 29, 2024

Action Alert! Member Mobilization Needed!

We need your help! This week, all four of our priority bills will have public hearings.

We need ALL RPEC members to sign into the Legislature’s website to cite a PRO position on each of our four bills: SB 5350, HB 1057, HB 1459 and SB 5169.

  • SB 5350: Includes a legislative pathway to a permanent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and provides 3% one-time COLA effective on July 1, 2023. The bill language was shaped by RPEC.
  • HB 1057: Includes a legislative pathway to a permanent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and provides 3% one-time COLA effective on July 1, 2023. The bill language was shaped by RPEC.
  • HB 1459: Restores a permanent 3% cost-of-living adjustment for PERS/TRS 1 retirees beginning July 1, 2023.
  • HB 5169: Concerning health care plans administered by the health care authority that are available to medicare eligible retirees.

Please take these steps to stand in solidarity on pension and healthcare security issues:

1) Register a PRO position on the Legislature’s website for SB 5350 (Ways & Means Committee hearing on Jan. 23 at 4 p.m.); HB 1057 and HB 1459 (Appropriations Committee hearing on Jan. 26 at 4 p.m.); and SB 5169 (Health & Long-term Care Committee hearing on Jan. 27 at 8 a.m.). This task will take no more than 5 minutes to cite a PRO position on all four bills.

Please take a minute out of your time now to cite your position on SB 5350 first. The hearing is on Monday, and you will need to cite your position by 3 p.m. on January 23.

2) Consider providing submitting written testimony. Share your own story if you are a Plan 1 retiree or receive your healthcare benefits through the Public Employees Benefits Board. Click here for a sample written testimony template for SB 5350. Click here for a sample written testimony template for HB 1057. Click here for a sample written testimony template for HB 1459. Click here for a sample written template for written testimony for SB 5169.

How to register a PRO position today

Click here to register a PRO position on SB 5350 – Do so by 3 p.m. on Jan. 23
Click here to register a PRO position on HB 1057 – Do so by 3 p.m. on Jan. 26
Click here to register a PRO position on HB 1459 – Do so by 3 p.m. on Jan. 26
Click here to register a PRO position on SB 5169 – Do so by 7 a.m. on Jan. 27

Follow these steps for each bill:

  • Use the links above for each bill as noted. When you access each link, look for the bill on the agenda item list. Click on the appropriate bill.
  • Select type of testimony. Click on the link that reads: “I would like my position noted in the legislative record.
  • You will then be prompted to state your position. Use the pull-down menu to select “PRO.”
  • Provide your first and last names, email address, organization, city, state, zip code and phone number.
  • Under “Organization,” spell out the Retired Public Employees Council of WA
  • Click the box to indicate that you are not a robot.
  • Push “Submit Registration.”
  • Repeat this process for the remaining three bills. Follow the links above for each bill. Select the appropriate bill from the agenda item list.

How to submit written testimony

Click here to register a PRO position on SB 5350 – Do so by 4 p.m. on Jan. 24
Click here to register a PRO position on HB 1057 and HB 1459 – Do so by Jan. 25
Click here to register a PRO position on SB 5169 – Do so before Jan. 27

Follow these steps for each bill:

  • Use the links above for each bill as noted. When you access each link, look for the bill on the agenda item list. Click on the appropriate bill.
  • Select type of testimony. Click on the link that reads: “I would like to submit written testimony.
  • Provide your first and last names, email address, organization, city, state, zip code and phone number.
  • Under “Organization,” spell out the Retired Public Employees Council of WA
  • The form includes a box where you can write your testimony. Or, you can cut and paste the content from another file. The limit is 5,000 characters including spaces.
  • You also can attach a PDF document of your testimony.
  • Click the box to indicate that you are not a robot.
  • Push “Submit Registration.”
  • Repeat this process for the remaining three bills. Follow the links above for each bill. Select the appropriate bill from the agenda item list.

Many of you sent letters to the Select Committee on Pension Policy and participated this summer in our mobilization around saving the UMP Classic Medicare Plan. You can certainly take the letters you have already written and modify them, using the templates provided by the Council Office. Please note that written testimony must be submitted 24 hours after the start of the public hearing on each bill.

Thank you for your support, and for taking the time to register a PRO position on these four bills. We stand together in our fight to protect our pensions and healthcare benefits.

If you have questions or run into challenges, please reach out to me – laurie.weidner@rpecwa.org , Emmett Mills – emmett.mills@rpecwa.org or Jakob Canup – Jakob.canup@rpecwa.org.

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