The Texas 83rd Legislative Session Is Underway
On Tuesday, the Texas Legislature convened for the 83rd Legislative Session. As the session begins, I cannot help but think of the now famous political question “are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Many TRS annuitants may be quick to respond that public education retirees have not had a pension increase […]
TRTA Update on New TRS Report–December 4, 2012
Texas Comptroller Releases Report about Public Pensions The Texas Comptroller’s office recently released a report about public pensions, providing details about Texas’ local and state pension programs as well as information about plans throughout the country. Included in the report is information about the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). Page 12 of the report […]
Senate State Affairs Committee Discusses TRS Today
The Senate State Affairs Committee will hold a hearing today to discuss several issues pertaining to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), as well as other state agencies. The committee’s agenda includes a charge to examine the feasibility of implementing health reimbursement accounts (HRA) and Medicare exchanges for Medicare eligible participants currently covered by […]
TRTA Update September 15, 2012
TRTA Helps Lead a United Front Defending TRS Benefits Associations Testify in Favor of Maintaining Pension and Health Care Benefits The House Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee (PIFS) met this week to discuss their interim charge on the Teacher Retirement System and other statewide, county, and municipal retirement programs. TRTA expected an attack on […]
Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee to Meet Next Week
Many TRTA members are interested in the legislatively mandated studies completed by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) last week. The full report can be read by clicking here. TRS began working on the studies at the end of the 82nd legislative session in 2011. The Texas Legislature directed TRS to research the impacts […]
TRS Releases Final Pension Design, TRS-Care Studies
Important Study Finds TRS DB Plan is Best Model The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) released two legislatively mandated studies on the pension fund’s plan design and the retiree healthcare program, TRS-Care. Both studies had a required completion date of September 1, 2012. You can read them in full on the TRS website by […]
TRS Meeting Underway: Pension Benefit Study, TRS-Care Among Many Issues Being Discussed
Update on TRS-Care Medicare Advantage Option Many TRTA members expressed concern and shared questions with us regarding the potential changes to the TRS-Care health insurance program. Betsey Jones, Director of Health Care Policy for TRS, was kind enough to review a list of those questions compiled by TRTA and respond to them. What are the […]
Teacher Retirement System Responds to Dallas Morning News Article
“Cherry picking one investment, either bad or good, amounts to viewing everything with 20/20 hindsight.”—TRS response to DMN The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) provided a response to the Dallas Morning News (DMN) story, “Texas teachers’ pension fund invests in casinos, loses $99 million.” In the response, TRS states that the reporter, “…selectively ignored […]
TRTA Members Concerned over Investment Loss
A news story in the Dallas Morning News is causing concern for many TRTA members about the safety of their pension trust fund. TRTA is investigating the TRS story in the Dallas Morning News. As you know, TRS has thousands of investments and this story, while it may be accurate, is not a significant reflection […]
Keep Affordable Health Care, Defend the Defined Benefit Plan!
TRTA Convention Legislative Luncheon: Additional Speakers Announced The study of the defined benefit plan and TRS-Care moves forward. As you know, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) has been directed by the legislature to study the TRS benefits of current and future retirees. Some legislators and a number of politically motivated interest groups believe […]