INDIANAPOLIS—The Senate and House passed HB 1004 containing a 13th Check. State Senator Rodney Pol Jr. (D-Chesterton) released the following statement:

“I am incredibly excited for the passage of a 13th Check. I, alongside my distinguished colleagues, have been fighting to restore this language to give our retired public employees and teachers the aid they deserve. After giving service to the state, the least we can do for our retirees is provide an additional check at the end of the year. Many retirees rely on this check and need it to maintain a good quality of life. I would like to thank the bill authors and sponsors, especially Senator David Niezgodski (D-South Bend), for their hard work on this bill. In providing the 13th check, we affirm our dedication to recognizing and rewarding the exceptional efforts of our retirees.”