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Our Legislative Programs
Each Legislative Session in Augusta, MAR monitors legislation, lobbies for and against numerous
bills that may impact our members, and we also work with Legislative sponsors to introduce bills that will advance our MAR mission.
Our most effective lobby in Augusta are MAR members. Please take a few minutes of your time
and contact your Representative or Senator
Summary of Pension and Health Benefit Changes Affecting Retirees in Amended Governor's Budget
- Eliminates requirement that teachers and state employees who retire after 1/1/12 pay 100% of their health insurance until they reach the age of 65.
- Requires teachers who retire after 7/1/12 to pay 100% of their health insurance until they reach their normal retirement age. This same provision applies to state employees who retire after 1/1/12 and haven’t reached normal retirement age.
- Eliminates requirement that retired teachers who are eligible for Medicare be enrolled in the State Employee Health program.
- Eliminates requirement that retired state employees pay a portion of their health insurance based on the amount of their pension.
- Freezes retiree cost of living adjustments(COLA) for three years(2011, 2012, 2013); however ,a new reserve fund is established from unappropriated General Funds which provides for potential non-cumulative COLA payments over FY 2012, FY 2013, and FY 2014 if surplus funds are available at the end of the fiscal year. These payments would not become a permanent part of the retiree’s pension benefit.
- Limits annual cost of living adjustments for retirees to 3% based on the Consumer Price Index with a $20,000 cap on the amount of pension income eligible for the increase.
- Directs Board of Trustees of MePERS to award a COLA adjustment in 2011 in an amount necessary to eliminate the amount owed by retirees to the retirement system as a result of the 2009 negative COLA.
Know your Legislators and Congressional Delegation
It is important for all MAR Members to know who their state Representative and State Senators is ---- and it is especially important to know how to contact them!
Visit the Voter Information Lookup page on the State of Maine's e-Democracy site.
P.S. Whenever you do contact your Reps in Augusta – please let then know that you are an active Maine Association of Retirees member – and remind them that MAR is made up of more than 15,000 active members statewide, just like you.