TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Alex Sauickie has introduced legislation (A5726) to restore cost-of-living adjustments for State Police retirees, continuing his push to provide long-overdue relief to New Jersey’s retirees.

It builds on Sauickie’s earlier proposal (A5175) to reinstate COLA benefits for retired local police officers and firefighters in the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System. That bill has drawn support from nearly 60 Assembly co-sponsors – well above the 41 votes needed to pass a bill in the chamber.

“For too long, even our most elite and selfless public servants, the men and women of the New Jersey State Police, have been treated as budget scapegoats,” said Sauickie (R-Ocean).

“It’s about priorities. If we stop pouring money into pet projects and unnecessary programs, we can take care of the people who kept us safe,” he continued. “I made a promise to stand with our retirees, and that includes every trooper who earned this benefit through service and sacrifice.”

The new bill prioritizes those who have been retired the longest and ensures that all State Police retirees with at least 10 years out of active service will begin receiving a cost-of-living adjustment.

COLA benefits were suspended in 2011 as part of a controversial pension reform law. Since then, many retirees have seen their fixed incomes eroded by inflation, forcing some to return to work to make ends meet.

“They held up their end of the deal,” Sauickie said. “It’s time the state did the same.”

The bill comes as lawmakers face increasing pressure to address pension fairness, with more retirees falling below the poverty line despite decades of public service.

Sauickie said he will continue to seek bipartisan support for what he called a responsible and targeted plan that supports retirees while protecting the long-term health of the pension systems.

“This is about keeping promises and righting a wrong,” Sauickie said. “I will not stop pushing until these retirees get the support they earned.”