Chair Talk
April 2009
HB 4072 passed the House on Thursday, March 12 — the vote was 95 yeas and 12 nays. The Bill was sent to the Appropriations Committee in the Senate. A Senate hearing on the bill has not been scheduled yet. We are preparing testimony to present to the Appropriations Committee when a hearing is scheduled. I would urge all retirees to contact (e-mail, phone or letter) their State Senator and voice your opposition to HB 4072.
This year there will be two Joint Evaluation Committees reviewing bid proposals that SERA representatives will be a member of. Bids have been sent out for the State’s Prescription Drug Plan and the State Dental Plan. The SERA representative for the Drug Plan will be Doug Johnson. I will be the SERA representative for the Dental Plan JEC.
The Benefits for Life packets have been mailed to Retirees. Open Enrollment for this program ends on April 15. It may be worth your while to make phone calls to the numbers listed for the various programs offered. You may find that you can save money on the Home and Auto insurance offered.
At the next Coordinating Council Meeting on May 8, 2009, the delegates will be making a decision as to the motion made to have the August CC meeting held in Escanaba. So far, I have heard from 9 chapters indicating their willingness to pay for their delegate’s expenses.
I have invited Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing) to be our speaker at the May CC meeting.
Editor’s note: Bob Kopasz is Chair of the Michigan SERA Council. He may be reached at P.O. Box 692, Mt. Morris, MI 48458; phone 810/240-8380
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