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Committee raises pension and disability package; municipalities warn of unfunded mandates
Summary
Lawmakers debated a package that would combine disability/pension offsets and require municipalities to offer pensions for police and firefighters; opponents warned bundling could create unfunded mandates while supporters said the pension portion may be advanced as a study. The concept vote passed and votes were held open.
A multi-concept bill combining permanent partial disability benefits, pension offsets, workers' compensation items and a requirement that municipalities participate in a municipal employees' retirement system for police and firefighters was raised as a concept in the committee screening session.
Several members, including Representative Canino and Senator Sampson, warned that forcing municipal pension choices risks creating unfunded mandates on towns and cities and could interfere with collective bargaining. "By moving all of these into one concept and one bill eventually, it really sends the wrong message to our municipalities who are currently struggling right now," Representative Canino said.
Chair Kushner said the committee had previously examined parts of these proposals separately and that the pension portion may be advanced as a study or assessment rather than an immediate mandate. "We agreed that the responsible first step would be a study or assessment of municipalities across the state and move from there," she said.
The committee held a roll-call vote to raise the concept; recorded tallies during screening were seven yes and four no. Members said they expect further drafting and public testimony in future hearings before any final action.
