Guam committee hears bill to extend $200 one-time COLA to autonomous-agency retirees; senators press DOA on legality
November 17, 2025 | General Government Operations and Appropriations , Legislative, Guam
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Sen. Tello Titegui introduced Bill 208-38 on Nov. 17 to amend Public Law 37-135 so that a one-time $200 supplemental cost-of-living allowance (COLA) also covers retirees and survivors who last served with autonomous agencies and public corporations.
The sponsor told the committee he introduced the bill to correct an "unintentional exclusion" in the original law that had limited the COLA disbursement to retirees funded in whole or part by the general fund. The sponsor said the earlier appropriation used approximately $1.5 million in excess revenue for the one-time payment and that the bill would not create a new appropriation but would authorize the Department of Administration to coordinate payments to agencies such as GPA, GWA, Guam Port Authority, Guam Airport Authority, Guam Visitors Bureau and the Guam Housing Corporation.
The Department of Administration’s letter, read into the record, reported that DOA and the Guam Retirement Fund arranged to pay omitted disbursements and that "parity has been restored." DOA’s correspondence also said that BBMR and DOA previously recommended legislative authority to avoid cash-flow uncertainty.
Several senators said they had received constituent calls from retirees who still had not received payments and pressed DOA’s testimony about how and when the payments were executed. Senator Titegui said he would forward DOA’s letter to the Attorney General for an opinion and asked legislative legal counsel to review whether the administrative action conformed with the Legislature’s appropriation authority. "Although the admitted COLA payments were resolved administratively," one senator said, "it did not expressly authorize inclusion of retirees from autonomous agencies and public corporations."
Committee members asked the authors and DOA to provide documentary evidence showing who received payments, the payment dates and the mechanism used so the panel can confirm parity and resolve any outstanding cases. The sponsor said payments should be made by Dec. 31, 2025, and should cover retirees as of Sept. 30, 2024.
What’s next: Committee requested DOA and BBMR documentation and legal review. The bill remains at hearing pending the committee’s review of evidence about whether payments were already completed and whether statutory authority is required.
The sponsor told the committee he introduced the bill to correct an "unintentional exclusion" in the original law that had limited the COLA disbursement to retirees funded in whole or part by the general fund. The sponsor said the earlier appropriation used approximately $1.5 million in excess revenue for the one-time payment and that the bill would not create a new appropriation but would authorize the Department of Administration to coordinate payments to agencies such as GPA, GWA, Guam Port Authority, Guam Airport Authority, Guam Visitors Bureau and the Guam Housing Corporation.
The Department of Administration’s letter, read into the record, reported that DOA and the Guam Retirement Fund arranged to pay omitted disbursements and that "parity has been restored." DOA’s correspondence also said that BBMR and DOA previously recommended legislative authority to avoid cash-flow uncertainty.
Several senators said they had received constituent calls from retirees who still had not received payments and pressed DOA’s testimony about how and when the payments were executed. Senator Titegui said he would forward DOA’s letter to the Attorney General for an opinion and asked legislative legal counsel to review whether the administrative action conformed with the Legislature’s appropriation authority. "Although the admitted COLA payments were resolved administratively," one senator said, "it did not expressly authorize inclusion of retirees from autonomous agencies and public corporations."
Committee members asked the authors and DOA to provide documentary evidence showing who received payments, the payment dates and the mechanism used so the panel can confirm parity and resolve any outstanding cases. The sponsor said payments should be made by Dec. 31, 2025, and should cover retirees as of Sept. 30, 2024.
What’s next: Committee requested DOA and BBMR documentation and legal review. The bill remains at hearing pending the committee’s review of evidence about whether payments were already completed and whether statutory authority is required.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
