Senate committee discusses pension, retirement benefits
INDIANAPOLIS--The Senate Pension and Labor Committee considered nine bills Wednesday morning, one of which would allow police officers and firefighters to purchase two years of pension credit if they have served active duty in the military.
Senate Bill 25, sponsored by Sen. Michael Young, D-Indianapolis, provoked discussion but did not result in a vote.
Among those favoring the legislation were Doug Todd, an accuary for the public employee retirement fund (PERF); Leo Blackwell, a representative of the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police; Mark Sheerer, a representative from th Indiana Firechiefs' Association; and Jim Wrigley, a representative for the firefighters.
Ann Cottongim, a representative for the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, raised questions about it.
"We like the concept and we are sorry that cities and towns don't have the financial abilities to support any additional costs that could come to the towns," Cottongim said. "Given the financial status of cities and towns right now...we don't have the ability to increase local taxes to support these services."
The committee also looked at Senate Bill 535, which would establish the Indiana public retirement system and set up programs such as PERF and the teachers' retirement fund (TRF).
Blackwell said he supported the bill in concept but would like a "seat at the table" for negotiations in other aspects of the bill.
George Raymond of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce also supported the bill.
In other business:
Three Senate Bills passed out of committee, each by an 8-0 vote. Senate Bill 173 would lower the number of member needed for a quorum in the law enforcement training board from 11 to nine. Senate Bill 78 addressed several prosecuting attorneys' retirement fund issues. Senate Bill 84 would change the name of the department of workforce development to the department of unemployment insurance.
