Ask Your State Senator to Support HCR 6: Urging Congress to Repeal GPO and WEP
Federal legislation is needed to repeal the unfair Social Security offsets that reduce the earned benefits of public employees in states like Ohio. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) are provisions of federal law that reduce the earned Social Security, spousal, and survivor benefits of those who also collect a public pension from states that do not pay into Social Security. Because Ohio is a non-Social Security state, many teachers, education support professionals and other public servants are adversely impacted by GPO and WEP.
The Social Security Fairness Act (HR 82 and S. 597) is pending before Congress and would repeal GPO and WEP, helping right this decades-long injustice. One way to help keep the pressure on Congress to act is for our state legislators to urge them to do so. House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 6 is a resolution that urges Congress to repeal GPO and WEP. The resolution has already passed the Ohio House by a unanimous vote and is now pending in the Ohio Senate.
Write to your State Senator today and urge them to support this resolution. By doing so they will be standing up for Ohio’s public servants and help to improve their economic security in retirement.
Legislative Watch
Legislature Votes to Extend Alternative Graduation Pathways
The Ohio House and Senate have approved a bill (HB 491) to extend the alternative graduation pathways to the classes of 2019 and 2020. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-0 and the House concurred by a vote of 78-1. OEA strongly supports the extension of the alternative pathways and applauds this action.
Under current law, in addition to successfully completing required coursework, students are required to meet one of three graduation “pathways” each of which is dependent on the results of high-stakes testing.
Senate Passes Bill to Restore OPERS Credit for DD Employees
On Thursday, December 6, 2018, the Senate unanimously passed House Bill 572 by a vote of 29-0. The bill addresses the issue of service credit for non-teaching employees of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities. OEA strongly supports this bill as this legislation. The bill would require OPERS to grant a full year of service credit to employees who meet certain conditions.
HJR 19 Stalls in House Committee
House Joint Resolution 19 is a proposed Constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult to pass amendments to the Ohio Constitution through the initiative process. The proposal was met with sharp criticism as an attack on direct democracy. It does not appear that the legislature will move this proposal in the lame duck session. However, this is likely to be an ongoing issue next session.
Click here for more details about these three legislative initiatives!