Rule Change Grounds Ohio Pension Plan Officials

An Ohio panel wants to ground those who oversee the state's pension plans. State officials were frustrated by two board members of the School Employees Retirement System insisting that they travel to Hawaii for a conference. So a rules committee voted Monday that no retirement system employee can be reimbursed for travel from now on. The state House is scheduled to vote on it Tuesday, and the Senate on Wednesday. The rule change was a rare action by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. Lawmakers and the state oversight committee have repeatedly criticized the Hawaii trip and urged the pension fund board to change its travel policy. ---