Sponsorship support for the Coalition COLA proposal
(HB 2379) continues to expand. Last week, fourteen legislators added
their names as co-sponsors of the legislation, bringing the total number
of sponsors to 151. Provided below is an updated listing of all the
sponsors.
Last week, PASR reached out to engage the support of more school retirees
in the fight to secure a COLA. In a sharply worded letter to nearly
80,000 school retirees who are not currently members of PASR, or any
other retiree organization, President Kirkwood urged everyone to get
involved. She noted that Pennsylvania is at risk of going from the worst
state in the nation, in terms of how often it grants COLAs to its retired
public employees, to becoming the first state in the nation to eliminate
the practice of providing COLAs all together. She requested everyone
to contact their representatives and express support for HB 2379, and
to join PASR in order to learn what is happening in Harrisburg and to
identify the legislators who are either supportive or opposed to addressing
the COLA needs of Pennsylvania’s retired state and public school
employees.
“The bill has tremendous momentum going in, with the sponsorship
support of well over two-thirds of the members of the House, but the
momentum could easily die off if we do not continue pushing for movement
of the bill through the legislative process,” President Kirkwood
explains. “PASR members should not be surprised if they are asked
to call or write to their legislators multiple times.”
