Deasy COLA bill for retired public employees reported out of House State Government Committee

Rep. Dan Deasy March 17, 2025 | 1:29 PM

HARRISBURG, March 17 – The House State Government Committee reported out legislation authored by state Rep. Dan Deasy, D-Allegheny, that would provide a cost-of-living increase to retired public school teachers and state workers, some who have not received an adjustment in 20 years.

House Bill 408 would provide incremental increases to retired employees based on their retirement date. Those who have been retired longer would receive the largest adjustment. The retirement dates affected in this bill would be for those retiring in 2001 or earlier.

“The people most affected by this bill have been retired for decades, were not part of the Act 9 increases, and are in their 80s and 90s,” Deasy said. “It is a finite group of individuals who will be affected, and they are most needy based on when they were last employed. We owe it to them to make it right. I’ve spoken to many who are unable to pay for food and medications. That is unacceptable for folks who gave so much to their communities and to our state.”

Act 9 of 2001 is the Pennsylvania law that gave an increase to pension payments to those who retired in 2002 and after. Those who retired prior to 2002 do not benefit from Act 9.

The measure now heads to the full House for consideration.

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