ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Two state lawmakers and a local group are also pushing the state to reinstate prescription drug coverage for all state employees.
Those benefits ended three years ago, but a court ruling kept the benefits in place.
Since then United We Matter founder Ken Fitch has worked to have those benefits put back into state law.
This year, State Delegate Joe Boteler and Senator Kathy Klausmeier are submitting bills calling for the prescription drug coverage program to be reinstated and for all retirees in the program before July 1, 2011 to be grandfathered back in.
Advocates hit the streets in Annapolis today for a car rally.
They say if passed the bills will give about 90,000 retirees access to benefits they've earned.
"They retired with this promise that they would have this prescription drug coverage," said Deborah Hill from United We Matter. "That they would have health coverage that's why they took the low pay that's why they didn't complain when it was furlough days that's why they didn't complain when they didn't have pay raises for over 10 years and then they turn around and do this. To pay for what?"
State troopers injured in the line of duty, employees who retired disabled and retirees over 65 would all be included in the bills.
We reached out to both lawmakers for a statement, Klausmeier says she's dedicated to fighting for state retirees and that she's trying to get retirees what they were promised.
