BARTA Lobbied for Passage of the bill at spring legislature
2019 General Assembly Passes 13th check for retired teachers
From Tom Mellish, Exec Director IRTA
You did it! Thank you! The 13th Check is in the budget for the next two years. Thank you for contacting your legislators.
They also agreed to take the $150 million for the Post ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund out of the Budget Surplus, not the Pension Stabilization Fund (PSF). This enables school corporations to lower their contribution rate to the Post ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund for active teachers and to use that difference, we hope, for teacher salaries. Taking the money from the PSF would have pushed the unfunded liability for the Pre ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund out a few more years.
The full House stood behind both these issues in Conference Committee and the Senate was persuaded to support both issues. You can thank your representative for his or her continued support and advocacy for the “13th Check”.
On the Senate side, all the Democrats and these Republican senators, Alting, Becker, Bohacek, Crane, Garten, Grooms, Leising, Niemeyer, Ruckelshaus, and Tomes, voted for Sen. Niezgodski’s amendment to place the 13th Check back into the budget. They also spoke up during their caucus sessions to support the 13th Check.
You did it! Thank you! The 13th Check is in the budget for the next two years. Thank you for contacting your legislators.
They also agreed to take the $150 million for the Post ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund out of the Budget Surplus, not the Pension Stabilization Fund (PSF). This enables school corporations to lower their contribution rate to the Post ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund for active teachers and to use that difference, we hope, for teacher salaries. Taking the money from the PSF would have pushed the unfunded liability for the Pre ’96 Teacher Retirement Fund out a few more years.
The full House stood behind both these issues in Conference Committee and the Senate was persuaded to support both issues. You can thank your representative for his or her continued support and advocacy for the “13th Check”.
On the Senate side, all the Democrats and these Republican senators, Alting, Becker, Bohacek, Crane, Garten, Grooms, Leising, Niemeyer, Ruckelshaus, and Tomes, voted for Sen. Niezgodski’s amendment to place the 13th Check back into the budget. They also spoke up during their caucus sessions to support the 13th Check.
BARTA member Joyce Heckman (center left) meets with other retired teachers from Area 7.
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Chief IRTA lobbyist Steve Beebe (right) works to bring about legislation to favor IRTA interests.
At the annual IRTA legislative brunch at the state capital, more than 200 retired teachers, representatives of their associations, met together and lobbied for passage of education and public pension bills before the legislature. (Left) Tom Mellish, Executive Director of IRTA, discusses the progress of the 13th check legislation with Joyce Heckman. |
LOBBYING AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE: At the IRTA Legislative Brunch, with other representatives from IRTA Area 7, BARTA member Joyce Heckman lobbied for the reinstatement of the "13th check" for retired public employees into HB 1001, the Budget Bill. Though supported in the House, the amendment for inclusion of the stipend into the budget bill met opposition in the Senate. Eventually 10 Republican senators joined with the Democrats to push through the bill. It was signed into law by the Governor April 29.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PENSION AND SCHOOL FUNDING DETAILS OF HB1001: Appropriates $150,000,000 from the state general fund to the 1996 account of the teachers retirement fund of the Indiana public retirement system (INPRS). Specifies that the board of trustees of the INPRS is to reduce the employer contribution rate. Requires the governing body of each school corporation after July 1, 2019, and before October 1, 2019, to hold a public meeting to determine: (1) the dollar amount of the reduction in the school corporation's employer contribution rate; and (2) the actions the governing body of the school corporation intends to take with that amount. Provides for thirteenth checks in 2019 and 2020 for certain members of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system. Urges the legislative council to assign to the appropriate interim study committee the topic of the complexity index used in funding K-12.
For more details about this bill, go to http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1001#document-a47201d3 .
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PENSION AND SCHOOL FUNDING DETAILS OF HB1001: Appropriates $150,000,000 from the state general fund to the 1996 account of the teachers retirement fund of the Indiana public retirement system (INPRS). Specifies that the board of trustees of the INPRS is to reduce the employer contribution rate. Requires the governing body of each school corporation after July 1, 2019, and before October 1, 2019, to hold a public meeting to determine: (1) the dollar amount of the reduction in the school corporation's employer contribution rate; and (2) the actions the governing body of the school corporation intends to take with that amount. Provides for thirteenth checks in 2019 and 2020 for certain members of the: (1) Indiana state teachers' retirement fund; (2) public employees' retirement fund; (3) state excise police, gaming agent, gaming control officer, and conservation enforcement officers' retirement plan; (4) state police pre-1987 benefit system; and (5) state police 1987 benefit system. Urges the legislative council to assign to the appropriate interim study committee the topic of the complexity index used in funding K-12.
For more details about this bill, go to http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1001#document-a47201d3 .
Do you Know someone who needs a Helping hand?
A HAND UP program aids retired teachers
Retired teachers, especially those very elderly recipients of particularly small pensions, may find meeting the cost of unexpected expenses quite difficult. A Hand Up program provides $1000 grants to IRTA members who are facing short term financial emergencies. Revealing just how important this program is, during its first nine months of life, A Hand Up awarded $3500 in four grants to our members. For more information and applications go to https://www.retiredteachers.org/foundation .
active teacher grant is newest
foundation program
IRTF's newest program received more than 375 applications in its first three years of existence, proving just how important assistance for active teachers has become. Public school educators, pre-K through 12, may apply for an Active Teacher Grant to help provide funds for a special project for their students. Applications are due by September 30 of each year, and up to $500 will be available for grants in each of the ten IRTA districts. More details and applications may be found at http://www.retiredteachers.org/foundation .
Irta Foundation has sCHOLARSHIPs FOR fUTURE tEACHERS
BARTA's parent organization, Indiana Retired Teachers Association and its Foundation, supports its members and their families by sponsoring a minimum of ten scholarships per year for Indiana college students. Sophomore and junior education majors who are children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, legal dependents, or spouses of active IRTA members may apply for a $2000 scholarship by June 30. A minimum of one scholarship in each of the ten IRTA areas will be awarded annually. Last year no one for our District 7 received an award because no eligible applications were received. Here in Indiana fewer and fewer students are working toward an education degree. Perhaps this lack of applicants is symptomatic of that malaise. For information use this link: http://www.retiredteachers.org/foundation .
