"We can complain that this bill doesn't go far enough," said Rep. Glen Grell (R., Cumberland), who helped craft the measure, "or we can approve this bill, scale back the overly generous pension plans for all employees, and stop the bleeding."
The House, acting in the waning hours of its 2009-10 session, also took final action on a number of other measures. The Senate has already passed the pension bill, so it goes straight to Rendell's desk.
Debate on the legislation Monday centered on a Republican-backed amendment that the Senate had tacked onto the bill establishing an Independent Fiscal Office to act as a watchdog over legislative and executive-branch spending.
Some House members, including Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Philadelphia), had argued that the Senate move violated the so-called single-subject rule of the state constitution by adding that amendment. That, in turn, would have left the measure open to legal challenge, they said.
But a majority of House members in both parties disagreed and approved the pension bill by a 165-31 vote. Evans was among those voting "aye," despite his expressions of concern about its constitutionality.
Pennsylvania's largest teachers union swiftly applauded the bill's passage, even though it cut some benefits for future employees.
In a statement after the vote, James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), said: "Compromising and agreeing to changes to our pension system has been tough, but PSEA realizes that this legislation resolves the pension crisis in a responsible manner and over time will save the taxpayers billions of dollars."
Testerman added: "It also keeps the promise of a secure retirement for current and future workers."
Reaction from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association was more muted.
