California 38th District state Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, said today that despite the Assembly Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee’s action to move his pension reform measures to “interim study,” essentially a legislative purgatory where bills go to languish, his discussions with interested parties, including the Governor’s office, the Speaker’s office and various unions, have bolstered his hope that the opportunity for real pension reform this year still exists.

“While I am disappointed that my reform measures, one of which included the Governor’s 12-point plan, were dismissed to interim study by the committee, I am convinced that real reform is still in reach,” Smyth said in a statement. “I have been encouraged to hear positive discussion about fixing egregious practices like pension spiking and purchasing of air time, which are both part of the Governor’s proposed 12-point plan contained in my AB 2224.

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“Other issues that need to be addressed like the implementation of a new hybrid system, determining the appropriate retirement age and establishing the normal historical cost to be used to ensure that employees are paying their fair share of pension costs are all complicated matters that I remain committed to resolving,” Smyth said.

“Further, the impacts of the horrendous acts perpetrated against children in Los Angeles Unified School District have clearly shown that those individuals who commit violent, serious or Megan’s Law-type felonies must have their pensions revoked,” he said. “I will continue to fight to ensure this is part of our reform efforts.

“The bottom line is that while today is a setback, I see an opportunity to remain engaged and keep the Legislature’s feet to the fire so that Californians get the pension reform they deserve,” Smyth said.