H-4939.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4431
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1992 Regular Session
By Representatives Spanel, Hine, Silver, Locke, McLean, Paris and Rayburn
Read first time 03/04/92. Referred to Committee on RULES REVIEW.
WHEREAS, The Teachers' Retirement System, Plan I, and the Public Employees' Retirement System, Plan I, allow members to retire at ages younger than 65 after completing a certain number of years of public service; and
WHEREAS, Persons who retire in their 50's may receive benefits for over thirty years, and inflation can greatly reduce the purchasing power of the initial benefit over that length of time; and
WHEREAS, Persons who retire under the Teachers' Retirement System, Plan I, or the Public Employees' Retirement System, Plan I, are not eligible for postretirement cost of living adjustments until the purchasing power of their benefit has declined to 60 percent of the purchasing power of the benefit received at the age of 65, even if they retired in their 50's; and
WHEREAS, Securing adequate health insurance coverage is one of the most significant concerns for persons of any age, but it is a particular concern for retirees who have a higher need for health care services; and
WHEREAS, For a number of years, the cost of health insurance has been rising at more than double the rate of increase of the cost of other goods and services; and
WHEREAS, Federal income and medical assistance through Social Security and Medicare does not occur until retirees are 65 or older; and
WHEREAS, The purchasing power of state-provided retirement benefits and the availability of affordable and adequate health insurance coverage are inseparable issues;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a Task Force on Postretirement Issues is created to study and evaluate the availability of and alternatives for supplementation of basic retirement benefits, including health benefits, through federal, state, employer, and individual resources; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Task Force comprise six members of the House of Representatives and six members of the Senate, with two members from each of the four caucuses who serve on the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives or the Ways and Means Committee of the Senate, and one member from each of the four caucuses who serves on both the Joint Committee on Pension Policy and the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives or the Ways and Means Committee of the Senate; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the chair of the Task Force be elected by the members of the Task Force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, the Ways and Means Committee of the Senate, and the Joint Committee on Pension Policy provide staff support for the Task Force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Task Force make its report and recommendations to the Legislature by January 31, 1993.