COLA Effort Updates

Update 4/11/25:

We are excited to share some good news. HB411 passed the PA House with a vote of 131-72!

This step forward wouldn’t have been possible without your outreach and dedication. By contacting your representatives, you help amplify the voices of over 60,000 retirees in Pennsylvania who have waited more than two decades for a COLA.

You can see how your representative voted here: https://www.palegis.us/house/roll-calls/summary?sessYr=2025&sessInd=0&rcNum=116&sort=party

If your representative voted Yes, please consider sending them a quick thank-you note. Let them know you appreciate their support of retired public servants, this will truly make a difference and reinforce the importance of their vote.

Now, we turn our focus to the Senate, where the bill needs support to move forward. We encourage you to send a message to your State Senator and urge them to support HB411 as passed by the House, especially Senate Republicans whose House members in the same district voted in favor of the bill.

Every voice matters. Together, we can advocate for fairness and dignity for those who dedicated their careers to serving Pennsylvania.

If you are willing to help support this effort please go to: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=8

Update 3/24/25:

“I live by two words: tenacity and gratitude.” – Henry Winkler

In the face of falling short of your goal, it is easy to lose your drive and your appreciation for the issue and people who have supported you along the way. This group has been advocating for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retired school employees for quite some time and the frustration and disappointment in its lack of enactment is understandable. But, we must remember the milestones we reached in pursuit of our goal.

It is important to note that in the 2023-2024 legislative session, PASR, and its COLA allies, advocated for and received support for the issue with the passage of HB 1416 (vote of 140- 63)  in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2023. It was also prioritized in state budget negotiations this past June and passed again by the House as an amendment to HB 1379 (vote of 135-67) in October 2024.

Although we are very disappointed that the issue did not cross the finish line during the last legislative session, it advanced as a priority issue and moved further than it had ever before. For this, we must express gratitude to our bill sponsors (Rep. Malagari, Rep. Deasy, Senator Muth and Senator Kane), our supporters, and vocal advocates.

However, our work is not done.

The 2025-2026 legislative session officially began on January 7, and work has commenced to advance the COLA issue once again. Representatives Malagari and Deasy reintroduced their legislation in the House of Representatives. The bills, HB 411 (Malagari) and HB 408 (Deasy,) were passed via party line vote in the House State Government Committee on March 17.

It is important to note that the House currently stands at 101-101 due to the tragic passing of Rep. Matt Gergely. A special election to replace Rep. Gergely is scheduled for March 25, so no action on legislation is anticipated before that date.

We have also had positive conversations in the Pennsylvania State Senate. The COLA legislation stalled in this chamber last session. Many legislators voiced their support for a COLA and recognized the need and commitment to our retired school employees, but the challenge was identifying a funding mechanism that is both available and sustainable. We have made progress in these discussions and are continuing to provide suggestions to legislators and their staff on potential sources of revenue.

While we are working hard inside the walls of the Capitol, it is imperative to continue our drumbeat of support from our members. Your legislators need to continue hearing from you, their constituents, that they must take action now on a cost-of-living increase for retired school employees. So, please remain tenacious in communicating with legislators about the need for and your support of COLA legislation.

We will continue to keep you updated on the progress of our efforts. Please continue to share any feedback you receive from legislators with PASR staff. We remain committed to this issue not only for our pre-Act 9 annuitants, but our entire membership. This remains an important first step to addressing cost-of-living adjustments for all retired school employees.

Thank you for all your efforts to support the passage of COLA legislation, and please remain grateful and tenacious in this fight!

 

Update 12/16/24:

PASR’s top priority is securing a COLA for all PSERS annuitants and we will continue to advocate for that in 2025! Over the past year, the PA General Assembly, unfortunately, was not receptive to a COLA for all, but they did express an openness to adopting a COLA for pre Act 9 annuitants. We had high hopes that this openness would result in legislation getting passed, but the Senate refused to vote on the bill.

PASR continues to believe that if a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) legislation could receive a vote on the full floor of the Senate, the COLA bill would pass as it did in the House of Representatives. Consequently, we will continue to fight for a COLA. It seems unlikely that any action will be taken in the lame duck session of the General Assembly, so we will need to reintroduce legislation in 2025, and that is exactly what PASR plans do!

After the PA Senate decided not to include a COLA in the budget, PASR participated in a press conference in October to promote a COLA. We were joined in the rotunda by 40 PA Representatives and 7 Senators, several of which gave speeches supporting a COLA. PASR members in attendance then visited the offices of dozens of legislators to urge them to support a COLA. We do believe that we made some progress in persuading some reluctant legislators to support a COLA. Specifically, several legislators expressed increased support for a COLA under the PASR proposal to use interest from the $6 billion “rainy day” fund to pay for the COLA. Consequently, our efforts to use this funding mechanism may have more support in 2025 than it did in 2024.

One other reason for hope has also arisen in the closing days of this legislative session. Representative Malagari amended his own legislation (HB 1379) to include a COLA for PSERS and SERS annuitants. HB 1379 would provide a one time payment to municipal pension systems to help provide a COLA to some retired firefighters and police officers. Representative Malagari sponsored HB 1379 and then secured a vote to amend it to include the language from HB 1416 which would provide a COLA to pre Act 9 PSERS and SERS annuitants. It is the hope of PASR that this joining of the request for a COLA may yield some votes in favor of a COLA since some legislators have favored  giving funds to municipalities to provide a COLA for firefighters and police officers. As such, tying these two causes together may help to solidify a majority that favors passing both COLA proposals.

PASR is, of course, more than disappointed and frustrated that a COLA was not secured this year, but PASR also wants to highlight that we did meet with some success. No bills had ever even been voted out of committee in either chamber of the General Assembly over the past 21 years, yet our legislation, HB 1416, was passed out of committee and out of the full House of Representatives. Moreover, HB 1416 was seriously considered in the budget negotiations this year. Indeed, the need for a COLA was even highlighted on NBC nightly news national broadcast. PASR has formed stronger relationships with legislators and made legislators much more aware of the need for a COLA. Furthermore, PASR’s partners such as PSEA, AFSCME, SEIU, and many other organizations are fully aligned with our efforts to secure a COLA. In other words, we start 2025 in a strong position to continue to fight on your behalf.

The most important portion of our efforts has been our members voicing their concerns to their legislators! We heard from legislators that they heard from our members and it is your messages to these legislators that pushed open many doors for PASR to be able to meet with legislators, to secure sponsors for the legislation, and to build a coalition to continue to support a COLA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU PASR members for all of your efforts and for your support!! With your continued support we hope to announce that a COLA has been secured in 2025!

 

Update 10/8/24:

PASR continues to fight to get a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for PSERS annuitants, along with SERS and annuitants and other retired government workers. We are expecting the PA House to pass HB 1379, which would provide a COLA for these groups.

HB 1379 provides a COLA to retired firefighters and state police officers. Representative Malagari sponsored this bill and sponsored an amendment that would provide a COLA to PSERS and SERS annuitants, as has been described in the previously passed HB 1416 that got stuck in the Senate.

Our hope is that there will be more support for HB 1379, especially in the Senate, since it includes police and firefighters, but we are asking that you contact your elected officials to help persuade them to pass this bill and send it to Governor Shapiro. We are making this effort in conjunction with our many coalition partners, which include retired firefighters, retired state police, PSEA, AFSCME, SEIU, PARSE, and others. It is our hope that this growing coalition may be able to garner the support of enough Senators to make this bill a law!

If you are willing to help support this effort please go to: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=6

The message that this link brings you to will automatically send it to your state representative and state senator, so you don’t need to fill that information in, but you can edit the body of the message to personalize it if you so wish.

THANK YOU!!!

 

Update 10/4/24:

PASR participated in a press conference and lobbying day at the PA Capitol, along with several other advocacy groups, yesterday to urge legislators to pass a COLA for PSERS and SERS annuitants. Among those speaking at the event was our Executive Director, Kristen Holjes. Kristen was joined by multiple speakers, along with 40 PA state Representatives and 7 state Senators that either spoke or showed to stand in solidarity with us!

We want to especially recognize Senator Katie Muth and Representative Steven Malagari who introduced the COLA legislation into their respective chambers, along with cosponsors Senator Kane and Representative Deasy. Senator Bartolotta and Senator Farry, Republicans, also deserve recognition for particpating since it has been Senate Republicans that have refused to enact COLA legislation. Moreover, Senator Vincent Hughes gave a rousing speech, along with PSERS annuitant Robert McVay who conveyed the pain of many retired educators that are struggling financially.

The speakers yesterday included: EmCee – PSEA President Aaron Chapin; Sen Hughes- Minority Appropriations Chair; Rep Malagari – Sponsor of Robert McVay, retired educator and pre-Act9 annuitant; AFSCME Speaker-Jeanne Weaver, President, Pennsylvania AFSCME Retiree Chapter 13; SEIU 668 Speaker – Patti Defibaugh, Chair, SEIU 668 Retiree Committee; PASR Speaker – Kristen Holjes, Executive Director, PA Association of School Retirees; PARSE  Speaker -Tom Judge, President, PA Association of Retired State Employees.

Many PASR members joined us for the press conference and then spent a few hours visiting the offices of their elected officials to urge them to support HB 1416. PASR would like to thank these members for sacrificing the time and energy to make their way to Harrisburg to make their voices heard!

A brief article describing these efforts and where the COLA bill stands can be found here: https://penncapital-star.com/education/pa-teachers-who-retired-before-pension-plans-were-boosted-seek-cost-of-living-increase/

 

Update 7/11/24:

The PA General Assembly seems to have reached a budget deal, and the deal does not include a COLA. PASR is disappointed, to say the least, but the fight is not yet over!

After receiving bipartisan support in the PA House, PASR was hopeful at the prospect of a COLA being included in the budget, especially since many in the Senate expressed support and stated that they recognize the need for a COLA. In the end, the Senate refused to include a COLA in the budget deal because of concerns about the cost of a COLA. PASR believes that this concern is not worthy of depriving annuitants of a long overdue COLA because the cost of the COLA would have added less than one half of one percent to the unfunded liability present in the PSERS system–a negligible amount, especially in comparison to the positive impact this COLA would have had on many annuitants’ dire financial status.

PASR continues to believe that if a COLA could receive a vote on the full floor of the Senate, the COLA bill would pass. Consequently, we will continue to fight for a COLA. We believe that there will be opportunities to get a COLA passed this fall. We will need our members to contact their legislators. Please stay tuned for more details and please, please, please prepare to let your legislators know that you are displeased with their refusal to pass a COLA. PASR will be contacting you with a message that you can send to your legislators as the process continues to unfold; again, the fight isn’t over and an opportunity will exist this fall to get a COLA passed.

As you vote this November, please keep in mind how your legislators voted on this issue; we need more legislators that are supportive of a COLA to be elected if we are going to be able to secure a COLA for everyone and a COLA that is significant enough provide financial security for annuitants. PASR will send an email in the future asking you to take such action, so please check your email and be ready to express your opinion to your legislators.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up”- Thomas A. Edison

The PA House votes on HB 1416. Please consult this list to see if your Representative voted in favor of a COLA: those in green voted for a COLA, and those in red voted against a COLA.

The PA Senate never voted on HB 1416, as the Senate leadership decided not to put it on the floor alone or as part of the budget.

VOTES ON HB 1416 65.9 KB

THANK YOU for all of your efforts thus far and for your continued willingness to act to secure a COLA!!

Update 6/6/24:

PASR is continuing to have discussions with PA legislators about a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for PSERS and SERS annuitants in 2024, and a growing number of legislators are expressing support for HB 1416 thanks to your communications with your legislators!

We, and our coalition partners, are making progress in talks with the PA Senate leadership and legislators that are crucial to the budget process. It is our goal to get a COLA enacted as part of the budget process or the legislation that is passed after the budget to enact the budget (called code bills).  The budget is supposed to be completed by the end of June, so we need to ensure that a COLA is top of mind for each and every legislator and the leaders of the budget process! We continue to be cautiously optimistic that a COLA, in the form of HB 1416, will be enacted this year. PASR NEEDS YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS GOAL A REALITY!!

Please send your PA Senator, PA Representative, and other Legislative leaders a message (link to a message is below) urging them to not forget about retirees that have been ravaged by inflation yet have not received an increase in their pensions in over two decades!

Your message will be sent to: Your state Senator & your state Representative (based upon your address); Joe Pittman (Republican Majority Leader of the Senate); Scott Martin (Republican Senator and Chair of the Appropriations Committee); Kim Ward (Republican Senator and President Pro Tempore); Vincent Hughes (Democratic Senator and Minority Chair of the Appropriations Committee); Jay Costa (Democratic Senator and Minority Leader); and Cris Dush (Republican Senator and Chair of the State Government Committee)

You can edit the body of the message below to include any personal information about your need for a COLA or to otherwise make the message more personalized.

You will not, however, be able to edit the salutation, as that will be automatically filled in when you submit your letter and it will automatically be sent to your Senator and key leaders in the PA budget process.

Please use this link to send a message: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=4

YOU DO NOT NEED TO ENTER A MEMBERSHIP ID

Update 5/1/24:

PASR is continuing to have discussions with PA legislators about a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for PSERS and SERS annuitants in 2024. 

We, and our coalition partners, are making progress in talks with the PA Senate leadership and legislators that are crucial to the budget process. We continue to be cautiously optimistic that a COLA, in the form of HB 1416, will be enacted this year. PASR NEEDS YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS GOAL A REALITY!!

Please send your PA Senator and other Legislative leaders a message (link to a message is below) urging them to not forget about retirees that have been ravaged by inflation yet have not received an increase in their pensions in over two decades!

PLEASE ALSO CONSIDER SUBMITTING AN EDITORIAL TO YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THIS ISSUE AND TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON LEGISLATORS TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION.

Your message will be sent to: Your state Senator (based upon your address); Joe Pittman (Republican Majority Leader of the Senate); Scott Martin (Republican Senator and Chair of the Appropriations Committee); Kim Ward (Republican Senator and President Pro Tempore); Vincent Hughes (Democratic Senator and Minority Chair of the Appropriations Committee); Jay Costa (Democratic Senator and Minority Leader); and Cris Dush (Republican Senator and Chair of the State Government Committee)

You can edit the body of the message below to include any personal information about your need for a COLA or to otherwise make the message more personalized.

You will not, however, be able to edit the salutation, as that will be automatically filled in when you submit your letter and it will automatically be sent to your Senator and key leaders in the PA budget process. 

Please use this link to send a message: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=5

YOU DO NOT NEED TO ENTER A MEMBERSHIP ID

Update 2/23/24:

PASR continues to push for a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) for PSERS annuitants, but we definitely need your help to get it done this year!

The PA House passed HB 1416, but the Senate State Government Committee, under the chairmanship of Senator Cris Dush, has refused to bring the bill up for a vote. As such we are working to get a COLA to be part of the budget process this spring and summer, but we need you, as constituents, to keep the pressure on your Senators and Representatives. A COLA will not come to fruition if legislators don’t hear from their constituents that a COLA is a priority.

You can support this effort by sending them a message here: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=3 (You don’t need to fill in your member number, especially if you are not a PASR member)
This message will ask them to support HB 1416 and SB 864. SB 864 provides a COLA to everyone every three years that is based on the inflation rate. HB 1416 provides a COLA to those who retired prior to July 1, 2001 and did not receive the 25% increase in their pension that Act 9 provided to those retiring after this date. Both bills provide a COLA to PSERS and SERS annuitants.
In the message is a list of talking points that you can use if you would like to call or visit your elected representative as well, and we hope that you would consider taking such actions in addition to sending this message.

The message will go to the following legislators that will play a crucial role in the budgeting process:
Senator Joe Pittman (Majority Leader), Sen. Kim Ward (President Pro Tem), Sen. Cris Dush (Chair of the State Government Committee), Sen. Scott Martin (Chair of the Appropriations Committee), Sen. Jay Costa (Minority Leader), Sen. Vince Hughes (Minority Chair of Appropriations Committee), Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (Minority Chair of State Government Committee), and to your own state Senator.
The House passed HB 1416 with every Democrat and 38 Republicans voting in favor of it, so there is bipartisan support!! Senate Republicans are, however, more reluctant to support COLA legislation, so we really need to ensure that they hear from us! Likewise, we want to ensure that COLA legislation remains a priority for Democrats in both chambers as they haggle over items in the budget. Consequently, it is of the utmost importance they they hear from you throughout the spring, so please contact your elected officials and urge anyone you know that supports this effort to also contact their elected officials.
Thank you for all that you have already done and thank you in advance for acting to communicate with the members of the General Assembly this spring!

Update: 1/11/24:

A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for retired educators and state workers has not been granted by the PA General Assembly in over 20 years! The PA House did pass HB 1416 which would provide a COLA of between 15 and 25% to those who retired prior to July 1, 2001, but the PA Senate has failed to act on this bill! HB 1416 is currently sitting in the Senate State Government Committee, which is chaired by Senator Dush. Consequently, PASR is asking that you take a moment to send Senator Dush, and your own PA Senator, a brief message asking him/them to put HB 1416 to a vote in his Committee so that the entire Senate may vote to approve it as well so that these annuitants can receive some relief from financial distress. The population effected is, on average, over 80 years old and receives less than $18,000 per year. If you are willing to send a message to Senator Dush urging him to act to move this COLA legislation, please click the link below. The link will ask for your basic information and will automatically send an email to Senator Dush and your own Senator. You can edit the content of the message if you would like to do so.

Thank you for your support!!

Please click here: https://www.pasr.org/legislative-form/?id=2

Important Article:  Aon to pay $1.5 million to settle SEC charges for misleading PennPSERS

 

How to locate and contact your State elected officials:

PASR humbly requests that everyone joins our efforts to make our voices heard! Please reach out individually and coordinate with local groups to enhance your efforts.

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/

If you do not know who currently represents you, your address will identify that person.

Once you locate your state rep – here are the various ways to contact them:

1. Phone call to the legislator’s local office.
2. Phone call to the legislator’s Harrisburg office.
3. Personal visit to legislator’s local office.
4. Email or write a letter.
5. Communicate with them on their social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.
6. Write editorials for your local news sources.

 

For “Talking Points” to use in your communications, please reach out to our office at 717-697-7077 or pasr@pasr.org. We have a list of themes for you to use. Pick one that is comfortable for you, or you can use a basic suggested message.

When Communicating with Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

1. Please do not be overly “aggressive” or demanding in asking for support for a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Being respectful is a better methodology.
2. Please mention that we (PASR) recognize the challenges that lawmakers/elected officials have each year when it comes time to pass the state budget. We understand that this is not a simple or easy request, and it will cost money.
3. Please highlight your personal situation and need for a COLA in light of the 75% inflation since 2000 that has gobbled up your purchasing power.
4. Others have seen increases since 2002, but not public school retirees who so richly deserve to be able to live a dignified retirement.

 

The positive economic impact on Pennsylvania of pension payments made to retired state workers and more evidence that a COLA for PSERS annuitants would benefit everyone if only we could get the General Assembly to listen! Please visit https://www.nirsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pensionomics2021_pa.pdf for more information.

As part of PASR’s continuing effort to get our members a COLA and provide current and relevant information, this page is designated to do just that.  Below you will find links to important recent news articles that may affect the process of receiving a COLA.