The budget has passed, it still includes 2% COLA effective January 1, 2015, step increases July 1 and January 1, and 4 additional health insurance premium holidays for state employees and 1 month free of health insurance premiums for retirees. Supplemental Pension funding also did not change. It remains at $100 million for FY 2014 and FY 2015, $150 million for FY 2016, $200 million for FY 2017, $250 million for FY 2018 and back to the promised $300 million in FY 2019.
Please keep the calls to House Appropriations Committee Chair Norman Conway coming. Urge him to allow Senate Bill 252 as amended out of committee and to the floor for a vote. This bill will set up 2 Public Hearings on workplace bullying in state agencies. His phone number is 410-841-3407.
The Maryland Classified Employees Association, Inc. is monitoring the following legislation effecting state employees:
HOUSE BILL 24 - Correctional Officers' Bill of Rights - Investigations
Summary - This bill will extend the time limit for a correctional officer to be placed under charges from 90 days to 1 year.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 162 - Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2014
Summary – This is the budget bill, which contains language that permanently reduces the state's contribution to the pension plan by $100 million. Cross filed with Senate Bill 172.
Status – Passed both Senate and House.
HOUSE BILL 174 - Public Safety - (Internal Investigation Unit - Name Change and Duties)
Summary - This bill will change the name of the Internal Investigation Unit to the Intelligence and Investigation Division and will add the duty to oversee the Intelligence Program within the Department. Cross filed with Senate Bill 114
Status - Passed the House 133-0. Passed the Senate 47-0. Returned passed.
HOUSE BILL 194 - Optional Retirement Program - Payment of Benefits - Criteria
Summary - This bill requires payment to be made under the Optional Retirement Program upon separation from state service or age 70 years and 6 months.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 218 - State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Service Fee Exemption - Charity Selection Period
Summary - This bill will allow an employee with a religious objection to paying service fees to a collective bargaining agent to choose a charitable organization within 30 days of receiving an annual service fee notice and to change the charitable organization within 15 days of selection.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 231 - Governor Pension and Health Benefits
Summary - This bill would allow a former Governor, who began serving after July 2, 2015 to participate in the State Employees Health and Welfare Benefits with 1/16 of the state subsidy for every year of service. Cross filed with SB 235.
Status - Hearing scheduled 2/24/14 at 4 pm in the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 435 - Labor and Employment - Labor Organizations - Right to Work
Summary - This bill would prohibit service fees.
Status - Unfavorable report by Economic Matters
HOUSE BILL 490 - Education - Community Colleges - Collective Bargaining
Summary - This bill establishes collective bargaining rights for certain Community College employees, with a maximum of 4 units per college for 1. full time faculty, 2. part time faculty, 3. remaining exempt employees, 4. remaining non-exempt employees. Cross filed with SB 749.
Status - Hearing scheduled 2/11/14 at 1pm in Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 700 - Task Force on Workplace Bullying in State Agencies
Summary - This bill establishes a task force to study and make recommendations regarding workplace bullying in state agencies. Cross-filed with SB 252.
Status - Hearing scheduled 2/18/14 at 1pm in the Appropriations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 815 - State Personnel - Service Contracts - Procurement, Auditing and Reporting Requirements
Summary - This bill would require auditing of service contracts. Cross filed with SB 712.
Status - Unfavorable report by Health and Government Operations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1008 - Service Contracts - Notice and Reporting Requirements
Summary - This bill would require a report be submitted to the Board of Public Works and the Legislative Budget Committees for service contracts over $200,000. Cross filed with SB 767.
Status - Hearing scheduled 2/19/14 at 1 pm in Health and Government Operations Committee. Unfavorable report, withdrawn.
HOUSE BILL 1025 - State Personnel - Contractual Employees - Preferences
Summary - This bill would allow an agency to limit selection plans for positions to existing contractual employees.
Status - Passed in the Appropriations Committee. Passed the House 102-32. Favorable report by the Finance Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1040 - State Personnel - Disciplinary Appeal and Greivance Procedure Documents - Electronic Transmission
Summary - This bill would allow for electronic transmission of greivance and appeal documents. Cross filed with SB 879.
Status - Favorable report by the Appropriations Committee, passed House 135-0. Favorable report by the Finance Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1224 - State Personnel - Collection Bargaining - Sworn Police Officers - Binding Arbitration
Summary - This bill establishes binding arbitration for sworn police officer units within the University of Maryland System, Morgan State University, St. Mary's College and the Baltimore City Community College. Cross filed with SB 989.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1292 - District Court Of Maryland Employees - Collective Bargaining
Summary - This bill would extend collective bargaining rights to District Court employees. Cross filed with SB 824.
Status - Passed in the Appropriations Committee. Passed the House 90-46. Hearing scheduled 4/1/14 at 1 pm in the Finance Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1442 - Maryland Transit Administration - Free Ridership for State Employees
Summary - This bill would extend free ridership to Judiciary and Legislative employees.
Status - Passed Ways and Means Committee, passed the House. Hearing scheduled for 4/3/14 in the Senate Finance/Budget and Taxation Committee.
SENATE BILL 114 - Public Safety - Internal Investigation Unit - Name Change and Duties
Summary - Cross filed with House Bill 162
Status - Passed Judicial Proceedings Committee. Passed Senate 47-0 on 1/30/14. Passed the House Judiciary Committee. Returned passed 132-0.
SENATE BILL 172 - Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2014
Summary - This is the governor's budget proposal. Cross filed with HB 162.
Status - Favorable report by the Budget and Taxation Committee with amendments. Passed the House Appropriations Committee with amendments. Passed both Houses.
SENATE BILL 180 - State Personnel - Child Day Care Financial Assistance Program
Summary - This bill establishes a financial assistance program available to permanent employees with at least 12 months of continuous service for child care services for children under the age of 4.
Status - Hearing scheduled 1/30/14 at 1 pm in the Finance Committee
SENATE BILL 204 - Prevailing Wage Rates Reform Act of 2014
Summary - Expands the applicability of the requirement to pay a prevailing wage rate to employees covered by public work contracts of more than $25,000. In addition, this bill will effect contracts for political sub-divisions as well as state government.
Status - Hearing scheduled for 2/27/14 at 1 pm in the Finance Committee
SENATE BILL 235 - Governor Pension and Health Benefits.
Summary - Cross filed with HB 231.
Status - Favorable report with amendments in the Budget and Taxation Committee. Favorable report by the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.
SENATE BILL 252 - Task Force on Workplace Bullying in State Agencies
Summary - This bill would create a task force to study and make recommendations on workplace bullying in state agencies. Cross-filed with HB 700.
Status - Amended to set up 2 Public Hearings on Workplace Bullying in State Agencies. Passed the Finance Committee.
SENATE BILL 452 - Baltimore County - Correctional Officers' Bill of Rights
Summary - This bill would extend Correctional Officer Bill of Rights Protections to the Baltimore County correctional officers.
Status - Hearing scheduled for 3/6/14 at 1pm in Judicial Proceedings Committee.
SENATE BILL 712 - State Personnel - Service Contracts - Procurement, Audit, and Reporting Requirements
Summary - Cross filed with HB 815.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Finance Committee, withdrawn.
SENATE BILL 749 - Education - Community Colleges - Collective Bargaining
Summary - Cross filed with HB 490
Status - Hearing scheduled for 3/6/14 at 1 pm in the Finance Committee.
SENATE BILL 767 - Service Contracts - Notice and Reporting Requirements
Summary - Cross filed with HB 1008.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Finance Committee, withdrawn.
SENATE BILL 824 - District Court of Maryland Employees - Collective Bargaining
Summary - Cross filed with HB 1292.
Status - Hearing scheduled for 3/6/14 at 1pm in the Finance Committee.
SENATE BILL 879 - State Personnel - Disciplinary Appeal and Grievance Procedure Documents - Electronic Transmission
Summary - Cross filed with HB 1040
Status - Favorable report by the Finance Committee, passed Senate 46-0. Passed the House Appropriations Committee.
SENATE BILL 989 - State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Sworn Police Officers - Binding Arbitration
Summary - Cross filed with HB 1224.
Status - First reading in Rules Committee.
RETIREMENT/PENSION BILLS
HOUSE BILL 194 - Optional Retirement Program - Payment of Benefits - Criteria
Summary - This bill will allow for payments from the Optional Retirement Program to be made to an employee when they become 70 and 6 months of age or upon separation of employment.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 377 - State Retirement and Pensions System - Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Employees - Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits for Criminal Conviction
Summary - This bill prohibits payment of retirement benefits to employees of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services who have been found guilty of a crime committed in performance of their duties, which is subject to a penalty at least 1 year of incarceration.
Status - Unfavorable report in the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 609 - Employees Pension System - Cash Balance Plan Option
Summary - This bill establishes a Cash Balance, or Defined Benefit Plan, for state employees. It will allow existing and future employees to elect to participate in the Cash Balance Plan as an alternative to the Employees Pension System. Employees will not be required to participate in the State Employees' Pension System.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 655 - State Retirement and Pension System - Member Contribution Rate - Reduction
Summary - This bill will reduce the member contribution rate from 7% to 6% for contributions after July 1, 2014.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 708 - Correctional Officers' Retirement System - Membership
Summary - This bill will add Security Chief, Assistant Warden and Warden to the list of classifications eligible for membership in the Correctional Officers' Retirement System. Cross filed with SB 665.
Status - Passed the Appropriations Committee
HOUSE BILL 839 - Law Enforcement Officers' Pension System - Deferred Retirement Option Program - Expanded Eligibility
Summary - This bill would expand eligibility to the Deferred Retirement Option Program to members with at least 29 but less than 34 years to 2 years in the program.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee.
HOUSE BILL 1171 - State Retirement and Pensions System - Correctional, Police and Law Enforcement Officers - Forfeiture of Retirement Benefits for Criminal Conviction
Summary - This bill would prohibit payment of retirement benefits for certain Correctional Officers, Police Officers and Law Enforcement Officers who are convicted of a crime committed in the performance of their duties.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee. Withdrawn.
HOUSE BILL 1209 - State Retirement and Pensions System - Parole and Probation Employees - Membership in the Correctional Officers' Retirement System
Summary - This bill would allow Parole and Probation Agents to join/transfer to the Correctional Officers' Retirement System. Cross filed with SB 916.
Status - Unfavorable report by the Appropriations Committee.
SENATE BILL 403 - State and Local Retirement and Pension Systems- Assignment of Benefits to Trust for Disabled Individuals
Summary - This bill will allow for retirement benefits to be placed in a trust for disabled individuals.
Status - Hearing scheduled 2/6/14 at 9 am in the Budget and Taxation Committee
SENATE BILL 665 - Correctional Officers' Retirement System - Membership
Summary - Cross filed with House Bill 708
Status - Passed with amendment in the Budget and Taxation Committee. Passed the Senate. Passed the Appropriations Committee.
SENATE BILL 916- State Retirement and Pension System - Parole and Probation Employees - Membership in the Correctional Officers' Retirement System
Summary - Cross filed with HB 1209
Status - Unfavorable report by the Budget and Taxation Committee, withdrawn.