FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A pension bill cutting benefits for retired public school teachers has cleared a key hurdle in the Kentucky legislature despite protests from educators chanting ``vote them out!''
The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted 7-4 to approve the measure, which cuts annual cost-of-living raises for retired teachers to 1 percent from 1.5 percent.
Republican Sen. Joe Bowen, who sponsors the bill, says it would save the state about $3.2 billion over the next 20 years.
The bill now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. If it passes, it would then need to be approved by the state House before it becomes law.
