Legislative Day - February 14, 2023
2023 MRTA Legislative Platform
Retirement System Legislation and Policy
1.MRTA strongly supports the PSRS/PEERS MRTA strongly supports the PSRS/PEERS of Missouri COLA Statue. Cost-of-living adjustments are vital to the financial stability and security of our retirees.
2. MRTA will advocate for restoration of the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) the PSRS/PEERS Board of Trustees has reduced twice in the past twelve years. MRTA supports the restoration of the 2011 COLA Policy levels for PSRS/PEERS of Missouri retirees.
3. MRTA will advocate for PEERS retirees COLA eligibility to be consistent with PSRS statue.
4. MRTA supports a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for the retirees of the PSRS of the City of St. Louis (last increase was in 2006) and PSRS of Kansas City, MO (last increase was in 2008).
5. MRTA is opposed to any pension reductions for our active or retired teachers and education personnel (reducing the COLA, tiered plan, etc.)
6. MRTA will advocate for the preservation and protection of the strong financial integrity and transparency of PSRS/PEERS.
State Legislative Issues of Interest to MRTA
1. MRTA will work to protect the Missouri public pension retirement plans defined benefit plans rather than defined contribution plans.
2. MRTA will support the current independent governance and decisions
of the Boards of Trustees of the following public education retirement systems: PSRS/PEERS Retirement System, PSRS of Kansas City, MO and PSRS of the City of St. Louis.
3. MRTA supports the current statue mandated by Missouri law requiring
the same health insurance premium cost and coverage for retirees as active public school employees.
4. MRTA will advocate for "equal and adequate" public funding of the Foundation Formula through a revision of the 2012 Standard Adequacy Target, which was capped at 2005 levels, to align with the current market and inflation levels. Missouri is currently ranked 50th
in revenue spent on public schools at 30.7% while the national average is 40.1% of total revenue spent.
5. MRTA will oppose any state legislation that would reduce state tax
revenue for funding school funding.
6. MRTA will oppose vouchers, education tax credits, educational scholarships, or any other use of tax dollars for nonpublic schools.
7. MRTA will oppose the statewide expansion of charter schools, support requiring the use of certificated teachers in virtual and charter schools to be members or retirees of PSRS, and support
accountability for virtual and charter schools equal to that of public schools.
8. MRTA supports the recruitment and retention of public school
teachers and educational staff. Teachers and educational staff matter when it comes to student success.
9. MRTA will advocate for legislation to fully fund an increase in beginning teacher pay and average teacher salaries. Missouri
is currently ranked 50th in beginning teacher pay and 45th in
average teacher salaries.
10. MRTA will support the current statue which provides the Missouri
income tax exemption for public education retirees that MRTA
was instrumental in passing in 2007 (HB444)
Federal Legislative Issues of Interest to MRTA
1. MRTA will support legislation to repeal/modify the WEP (Windfall Elimination
Provision) and GPO (Government Pension Offset) provisions of Social
Security.
2. MRTA will oppose mandatory Social Security for new educators members of PSRS of Missouri.
3. MRTA will oppose privatization of Social Security. PEERS of Missouri, PSRS of St. Louis, and PSRS of Kansas City, Missouri benefit greatly from Social Security. MRTA does not support a reduction in current benefit levels.
4. MRTA supports accessible, cost-effective healthcare and prescription medications to promote financial security for all.
5. MRTA supports efforts that would encourage the recruitment and retention of teachers by decreasing student loan debt.
9. MRTA supports efforts that would decrease student loan debt to encourage the recruitment and retention of teachers.
House legislators from the area
District 130 District 131
Rep. Bishop Davidson Rep. Bill Owen
573-751-2381 573-751-2948
Room 201-CA Room 410-A
Bishop.Davidson@house. mo.gov Bill.Owen@house.mo.gov
District 132 District 133
Rep Crystal Quade Rep. Melanie Stinnett
573-751-3795 573-751-0136
Room 204 Room 201-D
Crystal.Quade@house.mo.gov Melanie.Stinnett@house.mo.gov
District 134 District 135
Rep. Alex Riley Rep. Betsy Fogle
573-751-2210 573-751-9809
Room 201-E Room 109-H
Alex.Riley@house.mo.gov Betsy.Fogle@house.mo.gov
District 136 District 129
Rep. Stephanie Hein Rep. John Black
573-751-0232 573-751-3819
Room 103-BB Room 410-B
Stephanie.Hein@house.mo.gov John.Black@house.mo.gov
District 138 District 139
Rep. Brad Hudson Rep. Bob Titus
573-751-3851 573-751-3833
Room 207-A Room 203-A
[email protected] Bob.Titus@house.mo.gov
District 140 District 137
Rep Tricia Derges Darin Chappell
573-751-2565 573-751-3819
Room 115-J Room 200-B
[email protected] [email protected]
To Mail
Name
201 W Capital Ave.
Room Number
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Senators from this area
District 30 District 20
Sen. Lincoln Hough Sen. Curtis Trent
573-751-1311 573-751-1503
Room 419 Room 323
[email protected] [email protected]
To mail:
Name
201 W Capitol Ave.
Room number
Jefferson City, MO 65101
2. MRTA will advocate for restoration of the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) the PSRS/PEERS Board of Trustees has reduced twice in the past twelve years. MRTA supports the restoration of the 2011 COLA Policy levels for PSRS/PEERS of Missouri retirees.
3. MRTA will advocate for PEERS retirees COLA eligibility to be consistent with PSRS statue.
4. MRTA supports a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for the retirees of the PSRS of the City of St. Louis (last increase was in 2006) and PSRS of Kansas City, MO (last increase was in 2008).
5. MRTA is opposed to any pension reductions for our active or retired teachers and education personnel (reducing the COLA, tiered plan, etc.)
6. MRTA will advocate for the preservation and protection of the strong financial integrity and transparency of PSRS/PEERS.
State Legislative Issues of Interest to MRTA
1. MRTA will work to protect the Missouri public pension retirement plans defined benefit plans rather than defined contribution plans.
2. MRTA will support the current independent governance and decisions
of the Boards of Trustees of the following public education retirement systems: PSRS/PEERS Retirement System, PSRS of Kansas City, MO and PSRS of the City of St. Louis.
3. MRTA supports the current statue mandated by Missouri law requiring
the same health insurance premium cost and coverage for retirees as active public school employees.
4. MRTA will advocate for "equal and adequate" public funding of the Foundation Formula through a revision of the 2012 Standard Adequacy Target, which was capped at 2005 levels, to align with the current market and inflation levels. Missouri is currently ranked 50th
in revenue spent on public schools at 30.7% while the national average is 40.1% of total revenue spent.
5. MRTA will oppose any state legislation that would reduce state tax
revenue for funding school funding.
6. MRTA will oppose vouchers, education tax credits, educational scholarships, or any other use of tax dollars for nonpublic schools.
7. MRTA will oppose the statewide expansion of charter schools, support requiring the use of certificated teachers in virtual and charter schools to be members or retirees of PSRS, and support
accountability for virtual and charter schools equal to that of public schools.
8. MRTA supports the recruitment and retention of public school
teachers and educational staff. Teachers and educational staff matter when it comes to student success.
9. MRTA will advocate for legislation to fully fund an increase in beginning teacher pay and average teacher salaries. Missouri
is currently ranked 50th in beginning teacher pay and 45th in
average teacher salaries.
10. MRTA will support the current statue which provides the Missouri
income tax exemption for public education retirees that MRTA
was instrumental in passing in 2007 (HB444)
Federal Legislative Issues of Interest to MRTA
1. MRTA will support legislation to repeal/modify the WEP (Windfall Elimination
Provision) and GPO (Government Pension Offset) provisions of Social
Security.
2. MRTA will oppose mandatory Social Security for new educators members of PSRS of Missouri.
3. MRTA will oppose privatization of Social Security. PEERS of Missouri, PSRS of St. Louis, and PSRS of Kansas City, Missouri benefit greatly from Social Security. MRTA does not support a reduction in current benefit levels.
4. MRTA supports accessible, cost-effective healthcare and prescription medications to promote financial security for all.
5. MRTA supports efforts that would encourage the recruitment and retention of teachers by decreasing student loan debt.
9. MRTA supports efforts that would decrease student loan debt to encourage the recruitment and retention of teachers.
House legislators from the area
District 130 District 131
Rep. Bishop Davidson Rep. Bill Owen
573-751-2381 573-751-2948
Room 201-CA Room 410-A
Bishop.Davidson@house. mo.gov Bill.Owen@house.mo.gov
District 132 District 133
Rep Crystal Quade Rep. Melanie Stinnett
573-751-3795 573-751-0136
Room 204 Room 201-D
Crystal.Quade@house.mo.gov Melanie.Stinnett@house.mo.gov
District 134 District 135
Rep. Alex Riley Rep. Betsy Fogle
573-751-2210 573-751-9809
Room 201-E Room 109-H
Alex.Riley@house.mo.gov Betsy.Fogle@house.mo.gov
District 136 District 129
Rep. Stephanie Hein Rep. John Black
573-751-0232 573-751-3819
Room 103-BB Room 410-B
Stephanie.Hein@house.mo.gov John.Black@house.mo.gov
District 138 District 139
Rep. Brad Hudson Rep. Bob Titus
573-751-3851 573-751-3833
Room 207-A Room 203-A
[email protected] Bob.Titus@house.mo.gov
District 140 District 137
Rep Tricia Derges Darin Chappell
573-751-2565 573-751-3819
Room 115-J Room 200-B
[email protected] [email protected]
To Mail
Name
201 W Capital Ave.
Room Number
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Senators from this area
District 30 District 20
Sen. Lincoln Hough Sen. Curtis Trent
573-751-1311 573-751-1503
Room 419 Room 323
[email protected] [email protected]
To mail:
Name
201 W Capitol Ave.
Room number
Jefferson City, MO 65101