RPEC Weekly ACTION Newsletter – 4-12-2019
In This Edition
- ACTION ALERT – Contact Your Legislators about the Budget
- WA State Legislative Bill Summary
- RPEC PAC Deduction Update
ACTION ALERT – Contact Your Legislators about the Budget
Through your efforts, the momentum to get a one-time 3% COLA and an increase to the PEBB Medicare Benefit continues. We are in the home stretch of the Legislative Session and need to get these important issues across the finish line and into the final state budget.
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed the COLA bill (HB 1390) out of committee unanimously. This action will put pressure on the Senate to match the House’s commitment to address the needs of Plan 1 Retirees this session.
With only a couple more weeks of regular session left, we need to continue to pressure our legislators to include these provisions in the final budget negotiations.
Please contact your Representatives and ask them to pass HB 1390 and include it and a PEBB Medicare Benefit increase of $200 or more per month in the final state budget.
Please contact your Senator and ask them to include the COLA and a PEBB Medicare Benefit increase of $200 or more per month in the final state budget.
The Legislative Hotline number is 1-800-562-6000.
WA State Legislative Bill Summary
Below are the bills we are tracking as they move through the legislative process. Full Text and updates on these bills can be found by searching for the bill number at: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/
Here is a link to the list of bills currently of focus to RPEC: http://www.rpecwa.org/bill-summary-4-12-2019/
RPEC PAC Deduction Update
The RPEC PAC deduction is now active. Contributors will begin having their voluntary contribution deducted from their DRS pension account starting with the payment at the end of March. We thank those who have already signed up, if you are interested in participating, please contact the council office or visit www.rpecwa.org/rpec-pac-deduction-form/