Click Here to Send a Thank You Email to Your Representative!
In yesterday’s Inside Line, the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) reported that the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 1, the state budget bill that included funding for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) pension fund.
TRTA also noted that on Wednesday, April 1, the House would continue budget talks and take a vote on House Bill 2, the bill that includes emergency funding for various agencies, including the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program.
We are pleased to report that House Bill 2 passed unanimously yesterday, and the $768 million supplemental funding to pay for the shortfall to TRS-Care is included! To read more about other items included in the emergency spending bill, please click here.
Though the Texas Senate must still take up the issue of the state budget, this positive first step is a great boon to retired Texas public educators!
Many members of TRTA have expressed concern about the TRS-Care impending shortfall. The $768 million supplemental funding ensures that TRS-Care will not become insolvent in January 2016 as previously predicted.
While there is still much work to be done to secure the health insurance program for the long-term, this first step is vital! Our legislators are taking this issue very seriously, and their willingness to address it head-on bodes well for interim discussions about how to maintain TRS-Care for all current and future retirees.
This is thanks to you! Our members have worked diligently for more than a year to contact their Senators and Representatives and let them know how important quality, affordable health care is to them. TRTA’s strength lies with its members!
With your involvement, our voice becomes stronger! Please continue communicating with your legislators throughout the end of session. We will continue to provide email action alerts as the TRS-Care funding discussion is considered in the Texas Senate.
TRTA Day at the Capitol: Join Us, Meet with Your Legislators, and More!
Next week, over 1000 Texas public education retirees are expected to attend TRTA’s Day at the Capitol event on April 8. This will be the perfect opportunity for our legislators to put faces and names to the causes that matter most to you!
While many attendees already will be in town for the 62nd Annual TRTA Convention, many others will ride on a bus or drive in on their own to attend TRTA’s rally and ice cream social and to hear resolutions in the House and Senate honoring retired teachers.
Please know that if you would like to attend TRTA Day at the Capitol, you are welcome! The more retirees at the Capitol on April 8, the better! For complete details about this event, including a schedule of activities, please click here.
If you have not done so already, please consider extending an invitation to your legislators to join us next Wednesday! Use this email action alert to send your invitation today!
If you are not able to attend TRTA Day at the Capitol, but still want to participate, please call your legislators and let them know retired educators will be in town on April 8 and want to show their appreciation! Use the Legislator Hotline to reach out to your legislators by telephone: 888.674.3788.
If you like to promote the TRTA 62nd Annual Convention and TRTA Day at the Capitol events to your local media outlets, you may download and edit the following press releases:
Download TRTA Convention Press Release Here
Download TRTA Day at the Capitol Press Release Here
Thank You!
TRTA IS THE VOICE FOR EDUCATION RETIREES, and we want to be seen and heard on April 8!
We want to thank all of you who plan to attend or help us communicate with legislators about the big day. The planning is well underway and we are looking forward to having as many members as possible here for this legislative event.
Please be sure to stay tuned into the Inside Line throughout the 84th Legislative Session, as we will be bringing you all the latest updates on our broad legislative agenda, including any bills concerning TRS-Care, the continued funding of the TRS pension trust fund, pension increases for all TRS retirees, and also congressional issues such as the WEP and GPO.
Thank you for your membership in the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA). If you are not a member of TRTA and want more information about joining, please contact us at 1.800.880.1650. Follow us on Facebook! Visit our YouTube channel for regular video updates.
