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Committee advances bill to restore a 13th check for public retirees
Summary
The Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously to advance House Bill 11‑45, which would issue a 2026 "thirteenth check" to eligible public retirees using existing supplemental reserve accounts; sponsors said the bill requires no new appropriation and would issue checks in September if enacted.
Representative Karakoff presented House Bill 11‑45, saying the measure would provide a thirteenth check in 2026 for eligible retirees in PERF and several other benefit systems and would not appropriate additional funds. Karakoff said the supplemental reserve accounts hold roughly $272,000,000 across the named funds as of 06/30/2025 and that the bill would draw from those reserves rather than require new appropriations.
Representative Delaney asked whether the reserves were being built toward a true cost‑of‑living adjustment. Karakoff responded that the reserve is intended to underwrite the thirteenth check and that other structural approaches — including a stair‑step method tying the check to years of service — had been considered in committee amendments. Karakoff said the share taken from reserves for this year's check would be a “very small percentage” and did not pose a solvency risk to the funds.
The committee moved to pass the bill and conducted a roll call. The chair announced that House Bill 11‑45 passed out of committee 22–0. The bill summary noted checks would be issued in September if the measure ultimately becomes law.
