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FAIRNESS ACT/GPO/WEP

Action Alert #35 We Have a New Senate Bill! http://.ssfairness.com

Just before the Senate went on recess in mid-December John Kerry (D-MA) introduced a companion bill to the House Social Security Fairness Bill (HR1332).

The new Senate bill specifies repeal of both the GPO and the WEP. It is number S 2010 and is co-sponsored by Susan Collins (R-ME).

We are delighted!

The best way we can thank these two Senators is to get their colleagues to sign on as co-sponsors! The National Education Association has set up a quick and easy way to email both your Senators and your Congress Person. This is open to everyone and you do not need to sign up for NEA emails to use the service. Click here and also pass this link on to your friends:

http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/alert/?alertid=59458501

It is not likely that these bills will be passed this year, but they are a vehicle for explaining to legislators why these offsets are WRONG. When any changes are made to the Social Security retirement formulas, we want to make sure that lawmakers know that this is a problem that must be fixed!

From our recent sign ups, here is another story of outrageous injustice:

My mother (a public school teacher) was blindsided by this unfair legislation. She is constantly having to explain to people why she does not receive survivor benefits, when most of her peers (84 years old) do receive them. It feels so punitive to me. It's as if they are saying, "You worked so we are now going to punish you for it. And, your husband died so now we are going to rip up your life even more. Ha!" The concept of double dipping was inaccurate, as if someone were stealing. They built their lives and family, contributed to society, and paid taxes, together. California.

Thank you for staying with us as we fight for change!!!

D. Vitter-BTR- 225-383-0952-WDC - 202-224-4623

M.Landrieu - 225-389-0395 WDC - 202-224-9736

Contact Info for Louisiana Congressional Delegation

http://landrieu.senate.gov/louisiana/delegation.cfm

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These are proposed bills that will be introduced to the Legislature during the coming Session beginning in March. This is an issue that WILL AFFECT YOUR RETIREMENT! PRESIDENT LINDA MATHIEU WILL BE POSTING NEWS REGARDING LEGISLATION THAT IS PERTINENT TO CHANGES IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. The LSBOA is not in favor of any legislation that will merge our retirement system with ANY other system. We are the only system that is 100% funded at the present time. Contact your legislators and let them know where you stand on these different bills.
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> HB 60 by Rep. Pearson, SB 46 by Sen. Cortez, SB 56 by Sen. Guillory
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> These bills eliminate the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System, and give control of the assets and administration to Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana. On July 1, 2012, the effective date of the bill, the terms of the Board of Trustees for LSERS will terminate and the school employees formerly represented by the Board will be represented on the TRSL Board by the member elected by the food service workers.
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> The bill mandates the TRSL Board to eliminate 40 employees by the end of the fiscal year. The TRSL Board is also mandated to present a plan to consolidate all of the assets belonging to the

> SB 45 by Sen. Guillory>
> This bill will remove the food service workers from TRSL and place them in LSERS along with the other support personnel.
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> HB 7 by Rep. Pearson, SB 6 by Sen. Guillory
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> This bill, one started in the House, the other in the Senate, would add a requirement that the Superintendents of school systems respond to the annual questionnaire concerning privatization. There is already a duty place on the school systems to pay the unfunded accrued liability for the positions privatized, this merely adds a reporting requirement.
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> Liz Guidry
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> for Warren D. Ponder, Executive Counsel
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> Legal Department
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EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH - School Bus Operator was attacked by a student in her high school route. The student was angry at the driver for being written up. The driver call 911 and police and ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. This is one of many incidents all over the state and country where drivers have been physically attacked and verbally abused. What is being done to protect drivers?

The membership of the EBR Association would like to know how the increase in dues will help the general membership!

Check out the site below for some very unique gifts for our favorite people BUS OPERATORS!

EBR PARISH considering using public transit buses to pick up middle and high school students. This is been discussed several times before and did not work out. The public transit system seems to think it can make up for its deficit by utilizing its buses to pick up students. As we understand it the students will go to the regular bus stop to catch the bus and get off at the closes bus stop to the school, rain sleet or snow! What do you think about this? What are some of the issues that will be encountered by students? Send you comments to kathykeas@cox.net. We need your thoughts to counter this proposal!

This space is for drivers who may need our prayers and support to get through a difficult time. Please submit information to link below. Everyone needs encouragement at different times.