Oklahoma Lawmakers To Study Cost Of Living Raise For Public Service Retirees

Oklahoma lawmakers voted Thursday to create a study of pension systems before passing a bill that would increase pay for public service retirees. The Senate Retirement Committee passed a bill to look into a cost of living increase for state retirees, but retirees say lawmakers are just kicking the can down the road.

We first told you Wednesday, how local police unions were frustrated with lawmakers over the bill being delayed. They say retired officers have not had a cost of living adjustment in more than a decade.

Related Story: Retired Oklahoma First Responders Frustrated Over Delay In Cost-Of-Living Raise 

Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education Association, issued the following statement:

"Retired Oklahoma teachers dedicated their lives to the service of educating our state's children. We are deeply disappointed in today's decision by the Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee to kick retirees' cost-of-living-adjustment down the road yet another year, when it has already been 11 years since their modest pension payments were last adjusted to keep up with inflation. It is also distressing that the 4 percent COLA the House passed was reduced to 2 percent by the Senate. These are not the values of Oklahomans, who respect their educators and want them to live through their retirement with dignity."