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• Introduced by Rep. Richard Hammel (D) on March 19, 2008, to establish irrevocable state trust funds to hold assets to cover the unfunded liabilities represented by promised state and school employee post-retirement health care benefits.
  • Referred to the House Retiree Health Care Reforms Committee on March 19, 2008, which amended the bill to establish that retired government workers have a "contractual right" to health care benefits authorized under collective bargaining agreements. The state Consitution essentially establishes such a right for pension benefits included in employee contracts, but leaves open the possibility that post-retirement health care benefits could be limited. The committee also stripped out references to health reimbursement accounts into which government employees could contribute to cover post-retirement health care costs.
    • Reported in the House on June 26, 2008, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-4) be adopted and that the bill then pass.