UNDATED (WSAU-Wheeler News) Two Republican state lawmakers want to end a long-running perk for themselves. Senate veteran Rob Cowles of Green Bay and freshman Representative David Steffen of Howard propose to stop letting lawmakers accumulate unused sick leave, and cash it in for free health insurance after they leave the Legislature.
Current lawmakers would not lose anything, since credits already accumulated would still be honored.
Cowles and Steffen are asking their colleagues to co-sign the measure. Cowles tried but failed eight years ago to end the perk. The 132 current senators and representatives have built up almost $2.5-million in unused sick leave benefits — which averages over $18,000 per member. Last year, former legislators got a total of $367,000 worth of free health care premiums from their unused sick leave.
