State Retirement Fund Changes Will Wait

The state employees retirement fund won’t be getting an overhaul this year, despite overwhelming support from more than 100 public employees at a legislative hearing last week.

On Tuesday, the House Human Resources subcommittee voted 7-4 to study proposed changes for one year. Three of the bills would have slightly enhanced benefits, and the fourth bill changed the “rule of 90” to the “rule of 85” for teachers, and the “rule of 80” to 75 for firefighters and police officers.

The “rule of 90” says that a teacher’s age plus his years of service must equal 90 before he can retire with full benefits.

The rule works the same way for firefighters and police officers.