Legislative Report for May

State legislative committee met in March and finalized our Priorities for 2015.

Following is the 2014 State Legislative Priorities:

Minimum Pension Bump Up –  Extends minimum retirement benefits for retirees of NYSTRS retired prior to 07/01/1980, and would increase the minimum retirement allowance to $550.00 per year of NYS service up to a maximum of $19,250.

A• —-                          S•04117-A Libous

Improve Pension COLA –   Improve COLA law to more accurately account for increases in inflation by raising the base amount or by allowing for higher CPI percentage to be applied. We are asking for legislation that would raise the base benefit amount upon which the COLA is computed on, from $18,000 to at least $20,000 for New York Public Retirement Systems.

Elder Abuse – This proposed legislation would expand the limited definition of Caregivers in Penal Law 260.31 to include anyone who “voluntarily assumes responsibility for providing care for a vulnerable elderly person, or an incompetent or physically disabled person”. This change would make it possible to hold all abusive caregivers accountable.

A.3891 Morelle          S.641 Valesky

Gap Elimination Adjustment –  It is time to remove the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) from the school aid formula and allow school districts to begin the reduction recovery process so that our students have access to all programs necessary for a quality education.

(related legislation: A.02271 Woerner      S.02743A Gallivan

State Local Advocates and/or County Presidents should have received their 2015 packets and hopefully will be scheduling meetings with their State Legislators. I will make myself available to join any of them if they wish.

Bill Lesniak, Chairperson

CWZ Legislative Committee