Panel reports three retirement-related bills out of committee with due-pass recommendations

The House Appropriations Committee on an unspecified date reported three retirement-related bills out of committee with due-pass recommendations after brief discussion and one amendment withdrawal.

Vice Chair Gregersen moved that House Bill 2,124 be reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Representative Couture described HB 2,124 as “a good little affordability bill for our seniors,” saying it would allow “a little bit more flexibility” by letting retirees use larger lump-sum payments to cover upfront retirement costs such as housing. Representative Fitzgibbon said the measure would also reduce workload for the Department of Retirement Systems so staff “can focus on more important things.” The committee held an oral roll call; Miss McCollum announced, “there are 30 aye and 1 excused,” and the bill was reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

Vice Chair Grayson then moved House Bill 2,125 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Representative Couture said HB 2,125 is intended as stewardship of retirement funds, using some interest-earned funds to pay retirement expenses to protect long-term retiree benefits; Representative Fitzgibbon offered brief support. The committee again recorded a vote of 30 aye and 1 excused, reporting HB 2,125 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

For House Bill 2,179 — which committee members summarized as addressing whether certain port-district employees may participate in PERS, a federal railroad retirement plan, or a union-sponsored retirement plan — Vice Chair Gregson moved the bill out with a due-pass recommendation. Representative Fitzgibbon announced on the record that she was withdrawing an amendment (PRIN 751) and that staff and members would continue to work on the bill as it moves forward; the chair confirmed the withdrawal. Representative Schmick said the bill should clarify options for affected port-district workers, and Fitzgibbon noted that additional port districts may be affected, which will require further work. The committee recorded a final oral tally of 30 aye and 1 excused and reported HB 2,179 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation.

Procedural reminders given during the session included voting protocol (members should state their name and whether they vote “aye,” “nay,” “do not pass,” or “nay without recommendation”) and amendment deadlines submitted to OPR ( amendments for Wednesday must be received by 10:00 a.m. Tuesday and approved for release by 7:00 p.m.; amendments for the following day had to be requested by 10:00 a.m. that morning and approved by 7:00 p.m. that evening). The committee recessed for party caucuses during the meeting and adjourned after completing the executive session agenda.

The committee did not record the names of seconders on the motions; Representative Tharinger was recorded as excused during the votes. No amendments were adopted during the votes reported in this session, and Fitzgibbon’s PRIN 751 amendment to HB 2,179 was withdrawn. The bills will move along the legislative process with the committee’s due-pass recommendations as recorded.