This Legislative update page is designed to keep you informed on possible or actual legislation that may or will have an impact on our pension system’s operation, our pension benefits, or our healthcare benefits. PERI is constantly working to make retirees’ desires known to the Ohio General Assembly.
LOCATING YOUR STATE SENATOR AND / OR REPRESENTATIVE
If you call 1-800-282-0253, the operator will be able to tell you the name and phone number of your state Representative and state Senator. You will need to know your postal zip code plus 4.
Locate ohio state assembly online
The Governor’s phone number is 1-614-466-3555
send an email to the governor
LOCATE YOUR UNITED STATES SENATOR
LOCATE YOUR UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN
Search for Ohio House or Senate Bills
SOCIAL SECURITY OFFSET & WINDFALL PROVISIONS
The Government Pension Offset rules (Spouses and widow(er) ) are explained in Social Security publication No 05-10007.
The Windfall rules (worker) “A Pension From Work Not Covered By Social Security” are explained in Social Security publication No 05-10045.
PERI has been waging a campaign for the elimination of the offset provision since 1983. Every year since, proposed legislation to eliminate the provision has ended up in a House Ways & Means Committee sub-committee. That is a nice way of saying that they were ignored because there was not enough political pressure to push the legislation through congress. For our statement before the committee click on the following link:
Statement for the Record: US House of Representatives.
Statement for the Record: US Senate.
You can “Click” on the link below to learn updates and specifics of the Bill that the Federal Ways & Means will be reworking.
The GPO and WEP take away Social Security benefits earned by many public employees. The Social Security Fairness Act would fully repeal these penalties.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/82
Current Ohio Co-sponsors:
Rep Michael Turner (R-OH-10)
Rep Joyce Beatty (D-OH-3)
Rep Shontel Brown (D-OH-11)
Rep Troy Balderson (R-OH-12)
We encourage everyone affected by WEP/GPO to send a thank you letter to the co-sponsors
Find up to date co-sponsors go to Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82) - GovTrack.us