Wyoming Public Employees Association

03/05/2021

LONGEVITY BILL SECOND ATTEMPT FAILS!!!

The Senate Revenue Committee killed SF0097 - State employee longevity pay-prospective repeal on a vote of 3-2 this afternoon March 4, 2021. The bill was sponsored by Senator Hicks (R) Albany, Carbon, Sweetwater.

WPEA lobbyist Ken Decaria was in attendance to testify on this legislation assisted with talking points provided by WPEA Executive Director Betty Jo Beardsley. Decaria stated longevity is a recruitment and retention benefit. Longevity is not tied to base pay and is an incentive to keep employees working to the four year requirement and beyond. The bill would have no impact to the budget for five years since it applies to new hires as of July 1, 2021, and the fiscal note attached to the bill is an estimate.

Committee members voting NO on the bill in support of continuing the longevity benefit for state employees were Senator Fred Baldwin (R) Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta; Senator Stephan Pappas (R) Laramie; and Senator Wendy Schuler (R) Uinta. Contact these three Senators and let them know that you appreciate their support of state employees.

Yes votes came from Chairman Senator Cale Case (R) Fremont and Senator Tom James (R) Sweetwater.

03/11/2020

Please do not respond to any message from WPEA requesting a favor or help. This is not from WPEA and is probably a hack.

03/10/2020

Now that the House and Senate have both approved the budget bill, it is in the Governor's office awaiting his signature and/or his line item vetoes. The Governor has three days to complete the process.

02/27/2020

HB0112 Passed the House with the 3rd reading from Speaker Harshman!!! It now moves on to the Senate side for consideration. The bill now includes the two payments, one in 2020 and the second in 2021! Thanks to everyone who contact their House representatives!

Your input will be needed as the bill moves through the Senate. Be ready to contact your Senators when the bills hits the Senate floor. Start contacting your Senators asking for the AYE votes on HB0112.

https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislators/2020/S

02/27/2020

Urgent! Action needed this morning!
Ask your House Representatives to VOTE YES! on 3rd Reading Amendment sponsored by Speaker Representative Harshman to HB0112.

This amendment would take the funding for two payments from HB0110 (which failed) and put it in HB0112 and keep the study. Use this link:

https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislators/2020/H

You have to click on their names to get to their email addresses.

Members of the Wyoming Senate and House of Representatives.

02/24/2020

SF108 passed 3rd reading on the floor this morning. WPEA does not support the movement of retirement age from 65 to 67 or changing the Rule of 85 to a Rule of 90. WPEA is following this bill and will work to keep current the retirement age and Rule of 85. You can read the bill on the Legislative website at this link: https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2020/SF0108

Make your wishes known and send emails to the Senate.

Find bill text, status, amendments, fiscal note, votes, history and versions.

02/22/2020

HB0110 was heard in the House Revenue Committee this morning and was passed by the Committee unanimously. This bill would provide for two one time 13th checks in 2020 and 2021 for retired state employees. This is a great win for retirees! Keep contacting your House Representatives as the bill moves forward. Representative Steve Harshman is the bill sponsor. Let him know that you appreciate his bill!

02/14/2020

SF0108 passed in the Senate with contribution increases and age 67 / rule 90 applied to new hires only in the Senate
Appropriations committee meeting this afternoon. WPEA ED Betty Jo Beardsley testified stating, "WPEA is opposed to moving the age from 60 to 67 and 65 to 67 in Tier II and the Rule of 85 to 90 for both Tier I and Tier II. We support contribution increases for a three (3) year extension period beginning 7/1/2022." WPEA thanked the Senate JAC members for the continued paid contributions on behalf of employees by the employer of 5.57%.

HB0110 was suppose to be heard in the House Appropriations committee meeting but was moved to another committee. More to come on this bill.

HB0112 will be in the House Appropriations committee meeting tomorrow February 14th at 8:15 a.m. Updates on these two bills will be posted as soon as information is available. Stay tuned!!

Contact your Senators and Representatives! Tell them how you want them to vote on bills!

02/13/2020

WPEA Executive Director Betty Jo Beardsley will be testifying on SF108 during the Senate Appropriations Committee meeting scheduled today beginning at 12:10.

WPEA Lobbyists have been closely following all bills concerning retirement, insurance and retirees in both House and Senate chambers. More to come!!

12/27/2019

WPEA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED
The $500 scholarship offered by the Wyoming Public Employees Association was awarded to Koltyn Barber, daughter of Rich Barber a WYDOT member from Laramie.
Koltyn is a senior at Oklahoma State University will graduate in May with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Recreational Therapy. Congratulations, Koltyn!

08/09/2019

While staffing challenges at the Wyoming State Penitentiary are not news, the WSP is trying some new approaches to recruiting in Rawlins, like holding next week's recruiting events on-site. WPEA has been meeting with WPEA members and management in Rawlins to understand the issue and what is being done to address it both short- and long-term.

08/07/2019

The WPEA 2019 Scholarship deadline is September 1. Find the application and more information at the top of our homepage www.wyomingpublicemployees.org.