Who We Are and
What We Do
What We Do
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| A Brief RPEA History Written by Susan and Newby Ellington |
• RPEA was founded in 1958 as an association to preserve, protect and
enhance retirement benefits for all California Public Employees who receive their
pension or health benefits from the California Public Employees’ Retirement
System (CalPERS).
• RPEA is the only statewide association representing all CalPERS Retirees,
States, Classified School and Public Agency
• RPEA has a State Legislation Committee and a professional legislative
advocate
• RPEA sponsors state legislation which benefits retiree pensions or health
benefits
• RPEA monitors and vigorously opposes proposed state legislation
detrimental to retiree pensions and health benefits
• RPEA has a State Health Benefit Insurance Committee that oversees all
health care benefits within CalPERS
• RPEA protects and lobbies for our pension and health care by completely
understanding the significance of all legislation being proposed by any state
legislator
• RPEA attends all CalPERS board meetings, Assembly Public Employees,
Retirement and Social Security Committee meetings, and Senate Public
Employment and Retirement Committee meetings
• RPEA Board members and committees research and act upon federal, state
and local retiree issues
• RPEA has exposed Grover Norquist. In 2001 he declared his next
battleground to shrink the role of government in the U. S. was to destroy public
pension plans
• RPEA sponsors member discount programs and dental, hearing, vision, long-
term, travel and home health care insurance plans.
• RPEA publishes newsletters to keep members informed about legislation
and other issues that may affect retirees
What Have We Have Done For Our Members
Set forth below is a partial listing of the legislation either sponsored, co-
sponsored, and/or actively supported by RPEA.
• 1992: Proposition 162, as a direct result of RPEA’s efforts, required
Governor Wilson to repay to CalPERS the $1.9 billion he had extracted from
CalPERS funds to balance the state budget.
• 1999: AB 1640 enabled local agencies and classified school employers to
increase death benefits for retirees
• 2000: SB400 mandated ad hoc increases of 1-6% for CalPERS state and
school retirees.
o 2001: AB50 enabled classified school employers to increase death
benefits to $2000.00
o AB1009 established mandatory 80% Purchasing Power Protection for local
agencies, which was the first time on record a law mandated Purchasing Power
Protection (PPPA)
o AB1937 enabled legislation for ad-hoc increases by local agencies from 1 to
6%, based on years of service
• 2002: AB2052 prohibited mid-term changes in cost or benefits by
insurance companies
o SB1278 mandated that medical facilities use lowest cost drugs
o AB2271 waived complicated licensing procedures for rural state hospitals,
resulting in lower costs to members
o AB1464 mandated that employers contribute to retiree medical costs a
minimum of $16 per month this year, increased to $96 by 2007
o AB2251 mandated that employees receiving mental health care continue to
receive such care when employers change medical plans
o AB1833 mandated improved conditions for members using hospital
emergency rooms
o AB2873 prohibited primary accounting firms from acting as financial
consultants for companies
o In 2002 there were eight major bills that either failed in the legislature or were
vetoed by the governor, ostensibly due to money issues. These were as-hoc
mandatory raised for local agency retirees; $5,000.00 death benefit for all CalPERS
retirees; an increase Consumer Price Index’ vision benefits for state retirees; and
80% Purchasing Power Protection for state retirees.
• 2004 SB126 Rural Health care Subsidy for state retirees living in
California. RPEA was successful in getting this passed for our rural area members
• 2005: In conjunction with other entities, convinced Gov. Schwarzenegger
to postpone/shelve his plan to change the
• CalPERS and University of California Retirement Plans from the current
Defined Benefit Plan(guaranteed pension amount based on salary, age, and years
of service) to a Defined Contribution Plan (pension amount based on individual
investment plan, e.g., 401k).
• 2006: Due to the political and budgetary situation in CA in 2006, RPEA put
emphasis on successfully opposing proposed legislation not in our best interests
rather than seeking enhanced benefits
• 2007 The Governor creates the Government Employee Retirement Benefits
Funding Commission. This commission will inquire into all public employees’
retirement and health care benefits in California. That includes all government
agencies in and out of CalPERS.
Thank you for indicating an interest in learning more about RPEA that protects the
integrity of CalPERS and safeguards your pension and health care benefits. Your
situation is unique. Politicians, Wall Street brokers want your money. Other than
RPEA who is there to protect you?
Join The Retired Public Employees Association now. And keep up with what is
happening in Schwarzenegger’s hand picked committee. There are millions of
dollars being used to attack us. And we are fighting this attack by asking for only
$3.00 per month.
enhance retirement benefits for all California Public Employees who receive their
pension or health benefits from the California Public Employees’ Retirement
System (CalPERS).
• RPEA is the only statewide association representing all CalPERS Retirees,
States, Classified School and Public Agency
• RPEA has a State Legislation Committee and a professional legislative
advocate
• RPEA sponsors state legislation which benefits retiree pensions or health
benefits
• RPEA monitors and vigorously opposes proposed state legislation
detrimental to retiree pensions and health benefits
• RPEA has a State Health Benefit Insurance Committee that oversees all
health care benefits within CalPERS
• RPEA protects and lobbies for our pension and health care by completely
understanding the significance of all legislation being proposed by any state
legislator
• RPEA attends all CalPERS board meetings, Assembly Public Employees,
Retirement and Social Security Committee meetings, and Senate Public
Employment and Retirement Committee meetings
• RPEA Board members and committees research and act upon federal, state
and local retiree issues
• RPEA has exposed Grover Norquist. In 2001 he declared his next
battleground to shrink the role of government in the U. S. was to destroy public
pension plans
• RPEA sponsors member discount programs and dental, hearing, vision, long-
term, travel and home health care insurance plans.
• RPEA publishes newsletters to keep members informed about legislation
and other issues that may affect retirees
What Have We Have Done For Our Members
Set forth below is a partial listing of the legislation either sponsored, co-
sponsored, and/or actively supported by RPEA.
• 1992: Proposition 162, as a direct result of RPEA’s efforts, required
Governor Wilson to repay to CalPERS the $1.9 billion he had extracted from
CalPERS funds to balance the state budget.
• 1999: AB 1640 enabled local agencies and classified school employers to
increase death benefits for retirees
• 2000: SB400 mandated ad hoc increases of 1-6% for CalPERS state and
school retirees.
o 2001: AB50 enabled classified school employers to increase death
benefits to $2000.00
o AB1009 established mandatory 80% Purchasing Power Protection for local
agencies, which was the first time on record a law mandated Purchasing Power
Protection (PPPA)
o AB1937 enabled legislation for ad-hoc increases by local agencies from 1 to
6%, based on years of service
• 2002: AB2052 prohibited mid-term changes in cost or benefits by
insurance companies
o SB1278 mandated that medical facilities use lowest cost drugs
o AB2271 waived complicated licensing procedures for rural state hospitals,
resulting in lower costs to members
o AB1464 mandated that employers contribute to retiree medical costs a
minimum of $16 per month this year, increased to $96 by 2007
o AB2251 mandated that employees receiving mental health care continue to
receive such care when employers change medical plans
o AB1833 mandated improved conditions for members using hospital
emergency rooms
o AB2873 prohibited primary accounting firms from acting as financial
consultants for companies
o In 2002 there were eight major bills that either failed in the legislature or were
vetoed by the governor, ostensibly due to money issues. These were as-hoc
mandatory raised for local agency retirees; $5,000.00 death benefit for all CalPERS
retirees; an increase Consumer Price Index’ vision benefits for state retirees; and
80% Purchasing Power Protection for state retirees.
• 2004 SB126 Rural Health care Subsidy for state retirees living in
California. RPEA was successful in getting this passed for our rural area members
• 2005: In conjunction with other entities, convinced Gov. Schwarzenegger
to postpone/shelve his plan to change the
• CalPERS and University of California Retirement Plans from the current
Defined Benefit Plan(guaranteed pension amount based on salary, age, and years
of service) to a Defined Contribution Plan (pension amount based on individual
investment plan, e.g., 401k).
• 2006: Due to the political and budgetary situation in CA in 2006, RPEA put
emphasis on successfully opposing proposed legislation not in our best interests
rather than seeking enhanced benefits
• 2007 The Governor creates the Government Employee Retirement Benefits
Funding Commission. This commission will inquire into all public employees’
retirement and health care benefits in California. That includes all government
agencies in and out of CalPERS.
Thank you for indicating an interest in learning more about RPEA that protects the
integrity of CalPERS and safeguards your pension and health care benefits. Your
situation is unique. Politicians, Wall Street brokers want your money. Other than
RPEA who is there to protect you?
Join The Retired Public Employees Association now. And keep up with what is
happening in Schwarzenegger’s hand picked committee. There are millions of
dollars being used to attack us. And we are fighting this attack by asking for only
$3.00 per month.