Harris initiative to be discussed during interim study committee

Last month, State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) sent a letter to the Legislative Councill to request that Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and death burial funds to be assigned to an interim study committee this interim. The Pension Management Oversight Committee will study death burial funds for first responders and when COLA or other postretirement benefits should take effect, among other topics.

Harris offered the following statement today regarding his calls to focus on these topics:

“I’m very glad that the General Assembly is making a concerted effort to study COLA and death burial funds this interim. As many Hoosiers struggle to make ends meet against rising rates of inflation, lawmakers need to be doing everything in our power to ensure we’re helping. Our retirees have worked all of their adult lives, and ought to be able to maintain their quality of life after retirement.

“While no one wants to think about funeral expenses for themselves or their loved ones, I’m glad to see death burial funds being an interim study committee topic. This will provide us with an opportunity to determine best practices and possibly help ease some burdens for Hoosier families in their time of grief by creating opportunities for Hoosiers to pay some of their funeral and burial costs in advance. First responders put their lives on the line for us every day, and we should be doing whatever we can to take care of them and their families.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the findings of these committees, and I’d like to thank the legislative Council for taking my recommendations into consideration.”