Overhauled Pension System Shows Big Gains For Future Budgets
Oklahoma pension systems show financial gains
BY TIM TALLEY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s public retirement systems are financially stronger than they were just four years ago and their unfunded liability has declined by $6.5 billion, pension system managers told members of a state House panel Wednesday.
The improvements reflect the impact of legislation approved by lawmakers in recent years designed to improve the financial health of the systems, including bills passed in 2011 that increased the retirement age of some state employees and required that any retiree cost-of-living raises be fully funded, said state Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Edmond, author of many pension overhaul bills.
“We’ve been monitoring this for several years,” McDaniel told members of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee. “I’m very proud of what Oklahoma has done.”
McDaniel, chairman of the committee, made the comments after officials from the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System and other major retirement systems outlined their financial conditions.