Bill No. 47 (Marshallese)

Elkin iio ko relon in MISSA aikuj nan Government (Kien) eo kon jiban, Nitijela eo an ailon kein (Marshall Islands) ear kommane juon kellet (decision) ekkabilonlon ilo an kar kommane ukotak ko relab nan Kakien eo an Social Security kio nan boborae jan ko an Retirement eo jen an maatlok.

Ilo September 29 raan in 2016 eo, kon 24 aet im 2 jaab vote ko kar komman ilo Nitijela eo, Social Security (Ukotak) Act 2016 eo kar erom kakien im nej bok jikin jino jen January 1 raan in 2017.  Ne ear rumij lok jerbal im lomnak ko nan komman ukotak ko ilowaan bar juon tok bar iio, innem MISSA en kar bar jino kitake ak kadruwoj (withdraw) bar jonenin $7.5 million jan ko jen investment ko an nan FY 2017 nan binnej lok likjab ko (deficit) an im kola enanin 4,700 armij ro rej bok aer jan im mour jen program in.

Ukotak ko rej enot in:

• Jolok maximum taxable wage jonnok (cap) eo jen $5,000 ilo juon kuata (quarter) ak $20,000 ilo juon iio.  (nan waanjonnok ilo an jako cap in, ro rej kommane $20,000 or $30,000 ilo juon kuata nej teeke (taxed) aoleben $20,000 ak $30,000 ko aer ilo juon kuata in jab $5,000 wot)
• Kollaplok owoj (tax) rate eo an Retirement Fund eo kon 1% (jen 7% – 8%) nan rijerbal im jikin jerbal eo an.

Ijjoke, 3.5% owoj rate eo an Health Fund eo nej bed wot ilo jekjek in.

• Kaddiklok kolla (benefits) ko kon 5% nan ro rej bok $199 ak elablok ilo juon alon im komman bwe kolla ko labtata (maximum) ilo juon alon enjab lablok jen $1,000.  Retiree eo ej bok $210 ilo juon alon nej bok kio $199.50.  Juon beneficiary eo ej bok $205 ennej bok kio $199.  Nan eo ej bok $1,500 ilo juon alon enej bok kio $1,000 im jab $1,425 bwe kolla eo labtata kio ilo juon alon enej $1,000 wot.
• Nan retiree ro rekaal, emoj kammo (prohibit) double kolla ko, early retirement im jolok earnings test eo.
• RMI Government eo enej kollaik jidik in likjab (deficit) ko an MISSA, ekkoba jan ko aikuji nan kaddrikdrik lok kolla ko ilo FY 2017 im FY 2018.
• Ejellokin 5% driklok (cut) eo, retiree ro kio im beneficiary ro rennej grandfathered er.  Ilo jekjek in, ro rej wonmaan lok wot im jerbal mae 62 iio nej bed wot ilo earnings test eo.
• Kakien in ekkaal nej bok jikin ilo January 1 raan in 2017.

Ukotak ko an MISSA rekkaal rebban kar komman ne enkar jab jerbal ko an MISSA, investment consultant im actuary ro an, elabtata jiban ko an 11-ro rej member ilo MISSA Task Force eo kar komman jen Cabinet eo.  Task Force in kar chaired jen Finance Minister Brenson Wase, im vice-chaired jen David Paul.  Ro jet rej Sen. Bruce Bilimon, Asst. Attorney General Jonathan Kawakami, Mr. Russel Edwards, Ms. Marie Maddison, Ms. Kathryn Bejang im Mr. Nicolas Tibon.  Task Force in ear kommani kwellok ko an 12 ilowaan wot 3 alon ko nan kommane lomnak (decision) eo eliktata elkin lale jet option ko jen MISSA  im consultant im acturry ro an.

Alon eo lok, kar komman public hearing ko ion Majuro im Ebeye.  Enoot kar kotemene, ellon wot jen general public, retiree ro im employer ko rar bok kunare ilo hearing ko rar kwalok aer jab erra kon ukotak ko im renej jellet jan im bamle ko aer.  Ijjoke 24 member ro ilo Nitijela rar vote im erra nan komman ukotak ilo aer kile aurok im aikuj eo an ebebben (generation) ko tok an retiree im bamle ko aer.  MISSA ej wattok ukotak kein bwe rej jet ko raurok nan karbene (patch) likjab (deficit) ko lon in lok $6 million jan ko ilo nej FY 2017.