First Responders

Tester, Collins’ bipartisan bill to support first responders headed to President’s desk

News from the United States Congress

U.S. SENATE — After an aggressive push from U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), their bipartisan First Responders Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (RETIRE) Act passed the Senate and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation will help federal firefighters, law enforcement officers, Customs and Border Protection officials, and other federal employees with potentially dangerous jobs receive their full retirement benefits if they get hurt while on duty.

“Our first responders are the first on the scene to keep Montana families and communities safe, and we owe them their full retirement benefits if they’re hurt on the job, period,” said Tester. “I introduced this bipartisan legislation to make sure the folks who put themselves in harm’s way are made whole and are able to access the enhanced retirement benefits they’ve earned through years of selfless service.”

“As the title of this bill implies, the Fair RETIRE Act brings fairness to the retirement benefits afforded to the brave men and women in federal law enforcement who are disabled in the line of duty,” Larry Cosme, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) said. “We applaud Sen. Jon Tester, Sen. Susan Collins, and Rep. Gerry Connolly who have been our tireless congressional champions on this bill since it was first introduced. They have worked closely with FLEOA to develop and advance this critical legislation each Congress and we are grateful for their efforts and support. We look forward to seeing President Biden sign the bill into law.”

“Correcting this critical flaw in the law was a top priority for NFFE for years,” stated Randy Erwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE). “Until now, federal first responders who return to work after suffering debilitating job-related injuries could lose their enhanced retirement. When that happens—and it did all too often—the injured first responder would lose thousands of dollars in forfeited retirement contributions and then have to work years more with painful injuries. The First Responder Fair Retire Act stops this financial insult to physical injury, and I thank Senator Tester for his unrelenting leadership over many congresses to get this done. This bill was a bipartisan effort that included Senators Collins, Gillibrand, Risch, King, Daines, and Rosen. On behalf of our nation’s federal first responders, we thank you for your support to protect those injured in the line of duty.”

The First Responders Fair RETIRE Act is also sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Angus King (I-Maine), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). The House of Representatives passed the legislation in July.

Tester first introduced the legislation in 2016 after hearing the story of Missoula smokejumper Bob Beckley and others like him. Beckley parachuted into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness area to fight a wildfire and broke his back while on the job managing a wildfire emergency. Instead of taking a disability retirement, he chose to return to the federal workforce. However, because he moved to a less hazardous type of position, he lost his enhanced retirement benefits—he lost his ability to retire after 20 years and his enhanced annuity. Because of the physically demanding and dangerous nature of federal first responder jobs, Congress created an accelerated retirement system and established a mandatory early retirement age of 57 for certain high-risk jobs. These employees pay a higher percentage of their wages toward their retirement, and are entitled to an annuity after 20 years of service. Currently, if they are injured at work and unable to complete their mandatory years of service, funds that they’ve paid into early retirement are eliminated, even if they return to the federal government in a non-6c position.

The First Responders Fair RETIRE Act will allow federal public safety officers to retain their enhanced 6c retirement status if they chose to return to the federal government in a non-6c position after getting injured in the line of duty. They would still be able to retire after 20 years of federal service and will also be eligible to receive a lump sum payment of the benefits owed from their 6c retirement funds.

The First Responders Fair RETIRE Act is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Federation of Federal Employees, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Council of Prison Locals, and the Air Marshal Association.

Disability advocates sue DPHHS for blocking public records release

News from Upper Seven Law

HELENA — Disability Rights Montana filed suit today against Montana’s Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) after the agency denied a public records request for materials related to the hiring of Mike Randol as the Medicaid and Health Services Executive Director.

Montana’s constitutional Right to Know, guarantees broad public access to documents held by state agencies.

The requested documents contain information about DPHHS’s hiring priorities and about Randol’s qualifications and experience. Randol previously oversaw Medicaid programs in Iowa and Kansas, both of which moved to privatization during his tenure. Privatization—or “managed care”—shifts Medicaid administration to private, for-profit entities. Montana used a managed care system in the 1990s, but reassumed Medicaid administration when managed care proved far worse for patients and providers.

“DPHHS provides essential services to hundreds of thousands of Montana’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged residents,” said Bernie Franks-Ongoy, Executive Director of Disability Rights Montana. “State leadership determines the quality and administration of healthcare, community integration, and community-based treatment.”

“Montanans have a constitutional right to state transparency,” said attorney Niki Zupanic. “DPPHS’s denial of records for a high-level employee is a significant departure from constitutional norms. The State cannot govern in secret.”

DPHHS’s withholding of public records follows other records request denials by the Executive Branch, and has led to other lawsuits, including O’Neill v. Gianforte, which was filed last year. That case remains pending.

schedule

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start at 9 a.m. in Room 102 of the State Capitol in Helena. There will also be a Zoom option. Instructions on how to sign up for the Zoom link are available on the Dec. 21 meeting agenda.

Written comments are encouraged and accepted at all times. Written comments may be submitted using the commission’s webform, emailed to districting@ legmt.gov, or mailed to Districting and Apportionment Commission, PO Box 201706, Helena, MT 59620.

All meetings will be streamed live online at the Montana Legislature’s website, leg. mt.gov, and broadcast on the Montana Public Affairs Network (MPAN).

The commission may change meeting dates or times. Sign up to receive email updates or check the commission’s website for up-to-date information.

Commission website: https://mtredistricting.gov/

Commission staff: districting@legmt.gov or call Rachel Weiss 406444-5367 or Joe Kolman 406-444-3747.

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Diary of Anne Frank to premiere in Polson

News from the Port Polson Players

POLSON — Port Polson Players, in association with Mission Valley Friends of the Arts, present the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning classic, The Diary of Anne Frank, at Polson’s beautiful Theatre on the Lake over two weekends - Dec. 2-4 and 9-11.

“We felt the play was pretty timely, given the current situations across the globe right now,” said Karen Lewing, who directs the cast of ten Mission Valley performers. “We need to hear this story again.”

The show is a drama, of course, recounting the true story of Otto Frank and his family, forced to hide out during the Nazi occupation of Holland during WWII. But there is a good dose of humor as well. “The play has warmth, wisdom and just the right amount of lightheartedness to balance the story. And we have the perfect cast to pull it off.

I hope everyone will come see this true classic piece of theatre.”

Curtain times = 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. $17 for adults, $16 for students and seniors.

Card carrying veterans = $10

Call 406-883-9212 or portpolsonplayers.com for reservations for assured seating, although walk-ins are also welcome.

COURTESY PHOTO Pictured here Ellie Dupuis appears as Anne Frank. Included in the Mission Valley Cast are Dana Grant as Otto Frank, Jessica Dauterive as Edith Frank, Kyle Stinger and Caroline McDonald as Mr. & Mrs.Van Daan, Kai McDonald as Peter Van Daan, Veronica Marquardt as Margot Frank, Tina Hanken as Meip, Matt Graves as Mr. Kraler, and Ron Martin-Dent as Mr. Dussel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The St. Luke Family at your local, community-owned hospital wishes you and yours a Happy and Memorable Thanksgiving.

- The Heart of Healthcare in the Mission Valley since 1953