Draft legislation still not complete, legislators heading home to their districts.

June 7, 2010

Work continues between OPERS and the non-partisan Legislative Service Commission (LSC) to finalize draft language on the omnibus public pension reform bill. Meanwhile, the Ohio General Assembly this week goes to its summer recess, giving constituents a golden opportunity to lobby their legislators.

Staff at the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC) report that while we wait for the legislature to re-convene (possibly not until after the November election), the Council will likely prepare and release its commentary on the proposed bill. This should assist legislators in evaluating the proposals of the five Ohio public pension systems.

It also suggests a reduced chance of passage in 2010. While anything is possible in a post-election ("lame-duck") legislative session, it seems more likely that the current legislative session could conclude without comprehensive public pension reform. The legislation would then need to be re-introduced in the new General Assembly that will convene in 2011.