Senate Bill 16 would have allowed municipal governments to reduce their contributions for their employees to the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association by up to 2.5 percent, increasing employees’ contributions by the same amount. Two years ago, the legislature allowed the state to implement that provision for its own employees to help balance the strapped state budget.

Still pinched by tight tax revenue following a crippling recession, city governments across Colorado have been grappling for ways to balance their budgets, too, and have looked at curbing payroll costs, including contributions to the state public employees’ retirement program. Cities like Colorado Springs and Boulder have sought statutory permission to tinker with the retirement-funding mandate.

Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach addressed the Senate State Affairs Committee today in support of the bill.

“Without any flexibility, Colorado Springs will have few options of how we can address the growing financial burden PERA is placing on our budget,” Bach told the committee.

Kevin Bommer, the legislative advocacy manager for the Colorado Municipal League, in a prepared statement after the bill was defeated, said municipalities should be afforded the same latitude over their budgets that was granted the state, and he said without such flexibility, layoffs have taken place and will become more common in local governments.

“This decision could very well cost jobs for local government employees,” Bommer said.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, said the issue has been looming ever larger for government at every level in the state.

“Government retirement funds are a huge problem—if not a crisis,” said Lambert. “This is a major part of government spending and has no equivalent in the private sector.”

However, majority Democrats who defeated the bill in committee said the measure would amount to a 2.5 percent cut in pay for employees at city hall.

Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, said the burden on employees just wasn’t acceptable.

“That’s a gift-horse to local governments,” Heath said. “It’s taking it out of the pockets of employees.”

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Lawmaker moves to stop sale of state nursing home in Trinidad

HB-1038–Fail

Lawmaker aims to reconcile land conservation, condemnation

SB-50–Pass

Bill would mandate physical activity for schools kids

HB-1069–Pass

State regulation proposed for blow-up bounce houses

SB-75–Fail

Senators question cost, pace of march toward renewables

SB-71–Fail

Senator says contracting out services could save schools money

SB-79–Fail

Foreclosure assistance bill gets broad bipartisan support

HB-1023–Pass

Bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote dies in committee

SB-18–Fail

Bill to streamline school meds is sent to waiting room

SB-12–Pass

School-trust land to get greater transparency under pending bill

SB-29–Pass

Questions about ballot questions? This bill aims to answer ‘em

HB-1035–Pass

SW Colorado lawmaker says stop raiding severance-tax proceeds

SB-35–Fail

HB-1123–Fail

Liability shield for mountain-biking biz fails in committee

SB-36–Fail

Lawmaker pushes to close loophole in identity theft

HB-1049–Fail

Requiring photo ID to vote wins a round in the House

HB-1003–Fail

Bill lets small employers chip in for individual health coverage

SB-19–Pass

Funding equity proposed for students at private, public colleges

HB-1168–Fail

Panel axes bill rolling back state worksers’ ‘partnership agreements’

SB-38–Fail

Local bicycle bans could hit roadblock at the Capitol

HB-1092–Fail

Dems’ bill would’ ensure state never spends more money than it has

HB-1052–Fail

Most pending reforms to state retirement system likely to die early

SB-76–Pass

SB-74–Fail

HB-1008–Fail

SB-127–Fail

Proposal underscore the ‘public’ in public records

SB-25–Pass

Lawmakers want utility to give the medically impaired a break

SB-87–Pass

Business community shows renewed optimism, clout at legislature

HB-1005–Pass

HB-1109–Pass

HB-1129–Fail

HB-1127–Fail

Panel OK’s bills targeting marketplace fraud, workplace discrimination

SB-72–Fail

SB-68–Fail

Workers with state vehicles won’t have to reimburse for the commute

SB-23–Fail

Coloradans will continue to elect their coroners

HB-1108–Fail

Undocumented students take a step toward in-state tuition

SB-126–Fail

Lawmaker: Let’s take a break from unpopular business tax

HB-1141–Fail

Committee kills effort to cut ‘carbon tax’ from utility bills

HB-1240–Fail

Senate passes youth-concussion bill

SB-40–Pass

House gives nod to one-stop shop to help small business

HB-1209–Pass

Bill would curb new wave of bullies at school

HB-1254–Pass

Regs on naturopaths rejected in committee

HB-1173–Fail

Dems offer bill for tax amnesty, transparency

SB-184–Pass

GOP lawmakers nix mandate, say greener schools come naturally

HB-1204–Fail

Senate votes to give homeowners a hedge against insurers

SB-15–Fail

Small-town rep seeks to keep communities whole amid redistricting

HB-1276–Fail

GOP legislation aims for remake of oil and gas board

HB-1223–Fail

Lawmakers throw a lifeline to homeless youths

HB-1079–Pass

Pending proposal would dump Xcel’s tiered power rates

HB-1271–Fail

House GOP seeks to reinstate spending limit

HB-1280–Fail

Service animal bill approved by Senate

HB-1151–Pass

Bill targeting domestic violence would tag death certificates

HB-1183–Pass

Daylight saving time wins first round

SB-22–Fail

Bill giving ex-cons a second chance draws scrutiny

SB-44–Fail

Unborn-child bill pulled by sponsor

HB-1256–Fail

Panel halts push for ’smart grid’- says private sector is smarter

SB-131–Fail

PERA bill sent back for revisions

HB-1248–Fail

Plan advances to bar felons from school employment

HB-1121–Pass

Local governments still can ding accident victims

HB-1059–Fail

Bid to curb vehicle late fees halted in Senate committee

HB-1084–Fail

Tailpipe testing of vehicles to continue in Larimer, Weld

HB-1082–Fail

Panel says preservationists should yield to property owners

HB-1289–Pass

Dust-up over health-benefit exchanges: ‘good policy, toxic politics?’

SB-200–Pass

McKinley backs owners on conservation easements: ‘A deal’s a deal’

HB-1208–Fail

Boyd’s beer bill moves ahead

SB-194–Fail

Legislative panel: Double-check child-care workers

HB-1145–Pass

Senate OK’s ‘parental involvement policy’ for ailing schools

HB-1126–Pass

Panel OK’s bill giving oil and gas commission a makeover

HB-1223–Fail

Panel agrees to incentives for alt-energy parks

HB-1255–Fail

Committee OK’s measure making PUC more accountable

HB-1222–Fail

Software tax cut said to be a slam dunk for both parties

HB-1293–Pass

Fast-tracked clean-air plan challenged by rival legislation

HB-1291–Pass

SB-236–Fail

SB-237–Fail

Panel nixes municipal elections on local trash collection

HB-1116–Fail

Cab passenger pick-up bill passes Senate

SB-180–Pass

Senators check the couch cushions for spare school funding

SB-1–Fail

SB-109–Fail

Senate panel draws a bead on ag land ‘loophole’

HB-1146–Pass

Lawmakers seek to get unemployment fund back on track

HB-1288–Pass

Roofers say they’re reeling from bad rep – seek

regulation

SB-207–Fail

After a year on hold, ag tax exemption back on track

HB-1005–Pass

Conservation easements: Plan pending to let landowners out of limbo

HB-1300–Pass

Food-sales bill aims to help rural climes – and ‘abgriburia,’ too

SB-258–Fail

Panel throws book at those who spit – on those who help us

HB-1105–Pass

Ag land ‘loophole’ bill goes to Guv

HB-1146–Pass

Businesses would get an ear on the bench under pending bill

HB-1302–Fail

Health care compact proposal wins first round

HB-1273–Fail

Proposal pitches a more effective way to grapple with graffiti

SB-256–Pass

Lawmakers eye easier credit for energy-efficient upgrades

SB-32–Fail

Lawmakers aim to retool former guv’s signature energy agency

HB-1312–Fail

A bill for Jerry’s kids – and fundraising firefighters

SB-270–Fail

Senate updates redistricting map

SB-268–Fail

HB-1319–Fail

State as bail bondsman of last resort? ‘Dog’ says no way

SB-186–Fail

‘Amazon Tax’ on its way out the door?

HB-1318–Fail

Legislation would open roads to off-roaders

HB-1264–Fail

Guv signs budget bill

SB-209–Pass

As Mom’s Day looms, lawmakers eye online flower sales

SB-271–Pass

Funds tapped to help fight state’s wildfires

SB-238—Pass

Legislation lets fest goers stroll with drinks in hand

SB-273—Pass

Lawmakers snip red tape in an assist to business

SB235–Pass

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However, the leader of the state Senate signaled last week that none of the more ambitious reforms will get very far in his chamber. According to Education News Colorado, Democratic Senate President Brandon Shaffer told the annual winter meeting of the Colorado Association of School Executives that three of the bills, all Republican-sponsored, will not make it out of the Senate.

“All of these eventually will go away,” said Shaffer, notably excepting the bipartisan Senate Bill76, which now has left the Senate and is scheduled for its first hearing in the House.

Last year’s compromise temporarily decreased the employer’s contribution for certain state employees while increasing the employee’s contribution.  The Joint Budget Committee-backed SB 76, sponsored by Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver and Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, would extend those contribution levels for another fiscal year.

Steadman said running SB76 is regrettable but necessary in light of less palatable options.

“Nobody enjoys this bill,” said Steadman. “But, it is a better alternative than furloughs.”

Steadman said he believes tinkering with contribution levels will keep PERA on track and is the least destructive path to follow for state employees.

“None of these (other) bills are good for the PERA fund, and we have already fixed it,” said Steadman. “Let’s stay the course of keeping PERA on track.”

Senate bill 74, by Republicans Sen. Kent Lambert, of Colorado Springs, and Rep. Jim Kerr, of Littleton, would allow “employers in the school or local government division of PERA and the Denver Public Schools division of PERA” to lower the state contribution while raising the employee contribution. Those changes to the contribution levels would have to be approved by a vote of the “governing body” of the local government or school district.

House Bill 1008, also by Kerr, changes the makeup of PERA’s 15-member board to create a majority who are themselves non-PERA beneficiaries.

Republican Sen. Scott Renfroe, of Greeley, has offered up Senate Bill 127, resurrecting the debate over whether PERA should be a defined-benefit plan or a defined-contribution plan, like 401k plans common to the private sector. Renfroe’s bill effectively would phase out the defined-benefit option–long a bone of contention between Republicans and Democrats at the statehouse–requiring state employees hired after this year to be in the defined-contribution plan.

Renfroe said his bill empowers the employee to leverage control over their own retirement.

“PERA members need to have a plan in place that won’t go bankrupt in the future,” said Renfroe. “They deserve to be able to have some control over their retirement money.”

Asked about the distinct possibility of his bill and those of his colleagues meeting an early demise in the majority-Democrat Senate, Renfroe said he’s not surprised but finds it a bit off-putting.

“It’s disappointing that the leader of the Senate would make such a blanket statement about Republican PERA reform bills. It’s an abuse of power,” said Renfroe.

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Just one day before the 2011 legislative session begins, the Joint Budget Committee began approving numerous measures to be considered by the full General Assembly—among which is a clone of last year’s Senate Bill 10-146 that decreased the state’s contribution into PERA by 2.5 percent and increased the employee’s contribution by 2.5 percent for one year.

JBC staffers who run and know the budget numbers intimately recommended that last year’s bill be renewed, but for a two-year period rather than just one year.

Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, said he reluctantly agreed with the recommendation, adding, “I think we should bite the bullet and do it for two years.”

Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, agreed the extension is necessary but said that extending the increase for two years rather than one would cause a stir among state employees who successfully lobbied last year to keep it at one year.

The panel voted to move forward with the legislation—with a one-year timetable.

Part-time state employees may face an even greater reduction in state contributions to benefits through another measure considered by the panel.  Under current policy, part-time employees receive 100 percent of the health, dental, and life insurance benefits that full-time employees receive.  The state contributes fixed amounts toward employees and their families regardless of position, time served and the number of hours worked.

The staff-recommended measure would prorate the insurance benefits by hours worked.

Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, brought up issues that were recently raised in the Legislative Audit Committee when it learned the state’s benefit package for part-time employees seemed to exceed that of the private sector. Lambert, who also serves on the Legislative Audit Committee, questioned the wisdom of giving state employees benefits that eclipse those in the private sector.

“It seems to me that people working 20 hours a week in the private sector are not getting 100 percent of health, life and dental, in this economy especially,” said Lambert.  “Why are we not comparing this to the private sector? “

Ferrandino had a different concern, asking if reducing benefits for part-time employees would align with future requirements under federal health-care provisions, and he said he wasn’t quite ready to cut back on benefits for part-time employees.

The panel decided to give the proposal another round of scrutiny after the details are fleshed out in draft form before making a decision to move forward with legislation.

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January 5 - Pending bills seek to lift economy with an assist to the arts

Final outcome: House Bill 1180 – Passed; Senate Bill 94 – Passed

January 10 - Lawmakers seek new ways to assess teachers, cull worst

Final outcome: Senate Bill 50 – Failed; Senate Bill 191 – Passed

January 12 - ‘Race to the Top’ now a race with time to win federal ed dollars

Final outcome: Senate Bill 36 – Passed

January 13 – Legislative leaders offer divergent views on budget woes

Final outcome: House Bill 1376 (the ‘Long Bill’) – Passed, signed into law

January 15 – Lawmakers cross finish line in Race to the Top

Final outcome: Senate Bill 36 – Passed

January 19 – Following late-fee flap, push is on to fix FASTER

Final outcome: Senate Bill 4, 44, and 57 – Failed; House Bill 1102 – Failed

January 19 – Capitol rally denounces federal agenda for health-care reform

Final Outcome: Ballot Initiative filed

January 20 – Expansion of emissions testing along Front Range draws flak

Final outcome:  Senate Bill 95 – Failed

January 22 – Panel approves bill to give public a peek inside school spending

Final outcome: House Bill 1036 – Passed, signed into law

January 22 – Under pending proposal, public would help pay for campaigns

Final outcome:  House bill 1156 – Failed

January 26 – Rollback of tax credits, exemptions now on the table at Capitol

Final outcome: House Bills 1189-1197- Passed, signed into law; 1198 – Failed; 1199 – Passed, signed into law; 1200 – Passed

January 27 – First medical-marijuana bill passes committee–draws a crowd

Final outcome: Senate Bill 109 – Passed

January 28 – Business community carries its concerns to Capitol’s doorstep

Final outcome: House Bills 1189-1197- Passed, signed into law; 1198 – Failed; 1199 – Passed, signed into law; 1200 – Passed

January 29 – State pension rescue plan passes Senate; critics say it does too little

Final outcome: Senate Bill 1 – Passed, signed into law

February 2 – FASTER’s sponsor taps brakes on Colfax streetcar plan

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 145 – Failed

February 2 – Lawmakers dig into state’s unsightly, unsafe tire piles

Final Outcome: House Bill 1018 – Passed

February 3 – Is it about jobs or kids? Legislators asked to decide

Final outcome: House Bills 1189-1197- Passed, signed into law; 1198 – Failed; 1199 – Passed, signed into law; 1200 – Passed

February 4 – Governor ups ante on renewables; critics fear cost

Final Outcome: House Bill 1001 – Passed, signed into law

February 5 – Parties lock horns over tax package, offer dueling budget plans

Final outcome: House Bills 1189-1197- Passed, signed into law; 1198 – Failed; 1199 – Passed, signed into law; 1200 – Passed

February 8 – Effort to beef up state’s DUI penalty gets derailed

Final Outcome: House Bill 1184 – Failed

February 9 – ‘Wind rights’: just around the corner in New Energy Economy?

Final Outcome:  House Bill 1158 – Failed

February 10 – Bill letting corner markets sell real beer clears first hurdle at Capitol

Final Outcome:  House bill 1186 – Failed

February 12 – Commercial rafters win a round over landowners in House

Final Outcome: House Bill 1188 – Failed

February 15 – Religious ‘Bill of Rights’ for schools gets spiked, called unnecessary

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 89 – Failed

February 16 – After dismantling tax breaks, Dems pose a new one; GOP cries foul

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 133 – Failed

February 17 – Plan to enhance mountain-college system gets panel’s OK

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 101 – Passed

February 18 – Ritter closes in on next year’s budget gap

Final Outcome: House Bill 1376 (the ‘Long Bill’) – Passed, signed into law

February 19 – House gives nod to secure online access for end-of-life info

Final Outcome: House Bill 1050 – Passed, signed into law

February 22 – Panel halts effort to bar felons from working at schools

Final Outcome: House Bill 1082 – Failed

February 23 – Lawmakers unite behind new approach to drug offenders

Final Outcome: House Bill 1352 – Passed

February 24 – Ombudsman for homeowners put on hold in committee

Final Outcome: House Bill 1278 – Passed

February 25 – Guv, lawmakers seek an advocate for kids

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 171 – Passed

February 25 – Arts in education get a lift in the legislature

Final Outcome: House Bill 1273 – Passed

February 26 – Pending helmet law for kids rapped as ‘nannyism’

Final Outcome: House Bill 1147 – Passed

March 1 – Lawmakers say science doesn’t support ban on notions, potions

Final Outcome: House Bill 1248 – Failed

March 2 – Panel kills bill, is told phone books will fade away anyway

Final Outcome:  House Bill 1068 – Failed

March 3 – Students converge on Capitol to highlight tuition travails

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 3 – Passed

March 4 – Panel votes to end higher health-care premiums for women

Final Outcome: House Bill 1008 – Passed, signed into law

March 8 – Amazon pushes back after Colorado moves to tax online sales

Final Outcome: House Bill 1193 – Passed, signed into law

March 8 – Getting healthy gets you lower insurance rates under pending bill

Final Outcome: House Bill 1160 – Passed

March 9 – Rocky Flats’ legacy prompts proposal to post warning signs

Final Outcome: House Bill 1127 – Failed

March 10 – Plan to curb public PR for pols is rejected

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 105 – Failed

March 11 – Communication–not litigation–works best with docs, panel is told

Final Outcome: House Bill 1283 – Failed

March 12 – Booster-seat bill lauded as lifesaver, chided as ‘terminal silliness’

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 110 – Passed

March 15 – Make my day? Only at home, says legislative panel

Final Outcome: House Bill 1094 – Failed

March 16 – Conservation easements create buyer’s remorse for the state

Final Outcome: House Bill 1169 – Failed

March 17 – New fed rules hamstring some state water projects

Final Outcome: Senate Joint Resolution 18 – Failed

March 18 – Does bill provide affordable housing, or path to rent control?

Final Outcome: House Bill 1017 – Passed, signed into law

March 19 – River rafting bill stagnates because of study amendment

Final Outcome: House Bill 1188 – Failed

March 22 – Colorado joins lawsuit against new federal health-reform bill

Final Outcome: Suit still pending

March 23 – Contribution limits on school board races rejected

Final Outcome: House Bill 1272 – Failed

March 25 – Bill advances to clear the way for RTD rights-of-way

Final Outcome: House Bill 1276 – Passed, signed into law

March 26 – SE Colorado lawmakers urge state to keep hands off water funds

Final Outcome: House Bill 1376 (the ‘Long Bill’) – Passed, signed into law

March 29 – Timeline to affiliate may be shortened for candidates

Final Outcome: House Bill 1271 – Passed

March 30 – It’s a dirty job: Panel approves regulating grease

Final Outcome: House Bill 1125 – Passed

March 31 – Pols ponder GOP leader’s plan to slim down state government

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 29 – Failed

April 1 – Proposed helmet law for children moves into 2nd gear

Final Outcome: House bill 1147 – Passed

April 5 – House agrees to greater oversight for uranium processors

Final Outcome: House Bill 1348 – Passed

April 6 – Potential changes to ballot initiative process gain broad support

Final Outcome: House Bill 1366 – Failed; 1370 – Passed

April 7 – Horses get a helping hand from legislative panel

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 139 – Passed

April 7 – From the plow to the table: Bill would create food “advisory council”

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 106 – Passed

April 8 – Biomass gets a boost from lawmakers

Final Outcome: House Bill 1363 – Passed; Senate Bill 177 – Passed

April 9 – Remaining tax exemptions and credits could get regular scrutiny

Final Outcome: House Bill 1429 – Failed

April 12 – Mandate on homebuilders creates boiling debate

Final Outcome: House Bill 1358 – Passed

April 13 – How to provide transparency — with 80’s-era software

Final Outcome: House Bill 1078 – Failed

April 14 – If a rainy day fund is created, will future lawmakers use restraint?

Final Outcome: House Concurrent Resolution 1003 – Failed

April 16 – Stepped-up DUI penalties pass muster in House

Final Outcome: House Bill 1347 – Passed

April 19 – Voters could have choice to amend TABOR

Final Outcome: House Concurrent Resolution 1002 – Failed

April 20 – ‘Helmet bill’ comes to a screeching halt

Final Outcome: House Bill 1147 – Passed

April 21 – Teachers take approved time off to lobby bill – drawing criticism from the right

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 191 – Passed

April 22 – Judicial redistricting rules – necessary guidelines, or handcuffs?

Final Outcome: House Bill 1408 – Passed

April 23 – Dems want health policy surcharge; Republicans say it’s a tax

Final Outcome: House Bill 1103 – Failed

April 26 – Dems seek slowdown on investment tax credits

Final Outcome: House Bill 1200 – Passed

April 27 – I-70 ‘zipper-bill’ gains speed

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 184 – Passed

April 27 – Voting rights could be extended to parolees

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 179 – Failed

April 28 – Will voters make it tougher on themselves to amend the constitution?

Final Outcome: Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 – Failed

April 29 – Stiff new penalties proposed for violating disabilities act

Final Outcome: House Bill 1152 – Failed

April 30 – Pols tap ‘earn to learn’ trend for Colorado kids

Final Outcome: Senate Bill 210 – Failed

May 3 – Effort to have voters redefine marijuana ‘caregiver’ shot down

Final Outcome: Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 – Failed

May 4 – Committee scuttles ‘balanced budget’ message to Congress

Final outcome: House Joint Resolution 1031 – failed

May 5 – Senate votes to take shackles off prisoners in labor

Final outcome: Senate Bill 193 – Passed

May 7 – With Democrats and unions divided, committee OK’s teacher-tenure reform

Final outcome: Senate Bill 191 – Passed

May 8 – Who deserves first crack at the ballot: lawmakers or voters?

Final outcome: Senate Bill 216 – Passed

May 10 – Bill would create highway wildlife crossing zones, along with fines

Final outcome: House Bill 1238 – Passed

May 11 – Applying the brakes to personal use of state vehicles

Final outcome: House Bill 1287 – Passed

May 12 – Teachers union shaken, allies divided by passage of tenure reform

Final outcome: Senate Bill 191 – Passed

The bipartisan bill had the support of two key GOP members–Minority Leader Josh Penry and Assistant Minority Leader Greg Brophy–but many of their Republican peers contended the measure doesn’t do nearly enough to rein in a system that critics say is too cushy for state employees and too costly for the public to bear. Yet, a slew of amendments offered by several Republicans aimed at a more permanent solution were shot down one by one.

Senate Bill 1, introduced by Senate President Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, as well as Penry, of Grand Junction, is being touted to lawmakers as a compromise attempt at heading off eventual insolvency at the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association. The bill represents months of negotiations among PERA’s key stakeholders over proposals to pare back the system’s payouts and pump up employer contributions.

“This bill is bipartisan, and is a fiscally conservative, piece of legislation,” contended Shaffer. He was tag-teamed by Penry, who told senators, “The consequences of inaction are great . This is an emergency and the single largest fiscal challenge we are facing.”

PERA is facing insolvency in light of a 30-year unfunded liability to future state employee retirees, including tens of thousands of public schoolteachers statewide.  The bill addresses the looming liability by increasing the contributions made by state employees, their employers, and by a reduction in cost-of-living increases afforded to retirees. Specifically, the measure as drafted would raise contributions from employers by 1.5 percent, contributions from employees by 2.5 percent and reduce cost-of-living increases to retirees from 3.5 percent to 2 percent. There would be a one-year cost-of-living time-out tied to inflation to give the fund time to recover, and the average retirement age would be raised to 58 with 30 years of service.

A core group of Republican lawmakers said the bill does not go far enough in fixing the problem for the long term and that more sweeping reform is necessary to reflect the realities faced by employers and employees in the private sector, where many generous pension plans have been replaced with defined-contribution benefits such as 401k plan.

“We need to give employees the opportunity to control their retirement,” said Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, in support of Republican suggestions for reform that included:

• Raising the retirement age for state employees to 59½–as required for 401K’s—from 55½.
• Prohibit “spiking’, a term used to describe a system where the last few years of employment are used to determine retirement benefits.
• Repealing a PERA guarantee of automatic cost of living increases each year for retirees.
• Modifying the benefits for new hires.

Some GOP members expressed frustration with what they said was the preconceived outcome of today’s debate. Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, called the bill as a “bailout” and charged that the debate was already over by the beginning of the legislative session, alluding to the compromise between PERA and the bill sponsors over a six-month period prior to January.

“This is a balanced bill—a compromise.  Please vote yes,” Shaffer countered in defense of the bill.

Not so fast, said the GOP’s Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch.

“Thirty-nine amendments not passed. Who compromised?”  Harvey said. “The labor unions? No, the taxpayers.”

One thing most lawmakers agreed on was the difficulty in finding a fair solution that would affect the least amount of people.

“The hardest thing will be for the retirees,” said Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Aspen, a sentiment echoed by former schoolteacher Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, who said that state employees agreed to an extremely low wage in the beginning of their careers in exchange for “a fairly good retirement” at the end of their careers.

“There are people that will say ‘I want mine and I don’t care about anybody else,’ and I will not be voting that way.  I am proud to vote yes on this bill,” said Bacon.

Penry blamed both the Republicans and the Democrats, who he said have contributed over the years to the current insolvency.

“Shame on both us for creating sweetheart deals when times were better,” said Penry, conceding that the ideas offered by his colleagues were good ideas but unrealistic.

Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, who supported the bill, added his own perspective on the bill as a 72-year-old PERA retiree.

“We put these benefits in place a long time ago,” Heath said, conceding, “If we started from scratch, we probably wouldn’t do it this way.” said Heath after the floor debate was over.

A former GOP lawmaker familiar with both PERA and sponsoring bipartisan measures in the legislature, Burlington former Sen. Mark Hillman, complimented Shaffer and Penry for grasping the magnitude of the issue, but he said the bill doesn’t go far enough.

“The best part of the bill is that it addresses the current cost of benefits by reducing the cost of living increases and the worst part of the bill is that it doesn’t really address retirement age in a way that is that is fair to tax payers,” said Hillman, who has served as the Senate’s majority leader, its minority leader and for a time as acting state treasurer–a post that includes a seat on PERA’s board.

“This is a difficult bill. Nobody wants to do this,” Shaffer said, adding that it brings PERA back into solvency over the next 30 years. “That’s our goal.”