2024 WSSRA/TCSRA Legislative Priorities
- Pass Plan 1 COLA Legislation (HB 1985). Reinstate a permanent Cost-of-Living Adjustment for PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees. At minimum, WSSRA is seeking COLA legislation to provide an inflationary increase in July 2024.
- Pass DRS Month of Death Legislation (HB 2013). The Department of Retirement Systems (DRS), the Select Committee on Pension Policy (SCPP), and the LEOFF 2 Board have recommended legislation authorizing DRS to pay the full month’s pension to a retiree who has died. Current policy is to cut the pension at the day of death. The current method has negative repercussions for health insurance coverage and the surviving spouse’s finances.
- Enhance Plan 2/3 Pension Benefits. Many experienced employees are struggling with burnout and are facing retirement decisions. Simultaneously, many school districts and state agencies are looking to retain their most experienced staff. Offering an extra .5% of service credit for each year of service after 30 years could meet employees’ retirement security needs and alleviate employers’ staffing needs.
- Protect Retiree Healthcare Benefits. The Legislature lowered the Medicare Healthcare Benefit from $183 to $150 in 2011. In 2018 and 2019 we successfully lobbied for increases back to $183 per month. Protecting the Medical Benefit at $183 per month will help keep retiree medical premiums affordable.
Please communicate our priorities to your legislators!
Thurston County State Legislators
Contact legislators from your own email account using the following email addresses:
| Legislative Dist. #2 | |
| Sen. Jim McCune (R) | jim.mccune@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. Andrew Barkis (R) | andrew.barkis@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. J. T. Wilcox (R) | jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov |
| Legislative Dist. #20 | |
| Sen. John Braun (R) | john.braun@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. Peter Abbarno (R) | peter.abbarno@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. Ed Orcutt (R) | ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov |
| Legislative Dist. #22 | |
| Sen. Sam Hunt (D) | sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. Jessica Bateman (D) |
jessica.bateman@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep.-elect Beth Doglio (D) | info@bethdoglio.com |
| Legislative Dist. #35 | |
| Sen. Drew MacEwen (R) |
drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep. Dan Griffey (R) | dan.griffey@leg.wa.gov |
| Rep.-elect Travis Couture (R) | travis@traviscouture.com |
You can also use the legislative email contact form by going to www.leg.wa.gov. Click on “Find Your District” under in the left-hand column, enter your address, and links to your legislators will pop up. Click on the names to find links to email forms or websites. Call your legislators using the in-state toll-free hotline number, 1-800-562-6000.
Finally, please sign up for legislative alerts from www.wssra.org. Go to the site, scroll to the bottom of the homepage, fill out and submit the “JOIN OUR MAILING LIST” form, and follow the directions to complete. When member action is needed, Peter Diedrick, our WSSRA Legislative Coordinator, sends information.
