Sen. Hickman introduces suite of bills to improve retirement benefits for state workers
AUGUSTA — In recent weeks, Senator Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, introduced before the Joint Standing Committee on Labor four bills to improve retirement benefits for public workers and retirees in Maine. These pieces of legislation specifically improve retirement benefits for judicial marshals, employees in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, municipal workers who retire under a state retirement plan and retirees not eligible for Social Security payments.
“Our public employees serve the people of Maine in so many ways, from keeping us safe to teaching our kids,” said Sen. Hickman. “We must keep our promises to our state workforce and provide adequate compensation to our public employees, even after they begin their hard-earned retirement. This includes recognizing the extra sacrifices made by some of our state workers in particularly taxing or dangerous careers by including them in the Special Retirement Plan.”
LD 137, “An Act to Expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan to Include Employees Who Work for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” and LD 794, “An Act to Include Judicial Marshals in the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement,” would expand the 1998 Special Retirement Plan to include employees in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Judicial Marshals, respectively.
In her testimony supporting LD 137, Meghan Cookson of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reminded the Committee that the 1998 Special Retirement Plan was “originally designed to acknowledge the unique challenges and risks faced by certain state employees, such as those working in law enforcement and other positions where individuals are exposed to hazardous conditions.”
LD 240, “An Act to Create Consistency in Retirement Service Benefits Deferral Under the Maine Public Employees Retirement System,” allows certain employees with local retirement benefits through Maine Public Employees Retirement System to defer any benefits that would be reduced until normal retirement age.
LD 467, “An Act to Require the State to Pay Medicare Part B Premiums for Certain Retired State Employees,” requires the State to pay Medicare Part B premiums on behalf of certain public retirees not eligible for Social Security. This would ensure the State keeps its previously made promises to retirees who were hired before 1986.
LD 240 was unanimously voted out of committee and will soon come to the Senate for an initial vote. LD 467 received a divided report from the committee on Wednesday, March 12, and will soon come to the Senate for an initial vote. LD 137 and LD 794 face further action in the Labor Committee.
Sen. Hickman represents Maine Senate District 14, which includes Chelsea, Farmingdale, Gardiner, Hallowell, Manchester, Monmouth, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Wayne, West Gardiner and Winthrop.
###
