The House Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee met on April 28 to discuss SCR 17 (Hughes et al.) and a number of other bills. A video of the hearing can be found here.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Vote Outs
SB 288 (Seliger) (9-0)
HB 1852 (Sanford) (9-0)
HB 4266 (Shine, CS) (6-3)
SCR 17 (Hughes et al.) – Urging Congress to repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision of the Social Security Act.
- Filed and passed last legislation session
- Would repeal two federal provisions that penalize government employees because they have a pension
- Anchia – Passed on multiple occasions correct?
- Yes
Tim Lee, Teacher Retirement Association – For
- Windfall has proceeded most quickly
- Kevin Brady has proposed this
- Anchia – Why can’t we get it passed in Congress?
- The formula makes them look like low wage workers, outdated by 40 years, amounts to theft due to aggregate action instead of looking at each individual
- Anchia – Broad bipartisan support?
- Yes
Chris Jones, CLEAT – For
- Police officer not entitled for benefits if they had a job prior to becoming a police officer, also does not cover wife if they die
- Many have other jobs, fixing the windfall part is key
Anthony Kivela, Executive Director of the Houston Police Retired Officers Association – For
- Get this bill every session; provisions are draconian
- Affects teachers, police officers, and firefighters
- Having to work 40 years to draw social security is ridiculous
- Worked for Houston police for 38 years and had another job at the University of Houston running security, penalized by the windfall elimination
- Only knows two retirees not affected by this out of hundreds
SCR 17 left pending