Special Election Runoffs TODAY! Plus New TRS Value Video

Election News Several special elections are happening today in Texas! Elections are being held to determine Texas Representatives for House Districts 13, 17, and 123, as well as the Senator for Senate District 26. If you live in one of these districts, get out and vote TODAY! All registered voters living in these districts are […]

House Appropriations Committee Discusses Pension Fund, TRS-Care Issues

Today, February 20, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article III met and heard vital testimony about the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) pension fund and the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) was able to provide public testimony, in addition to TRS Executive Director Brian Guthrie. Guthrie’s testimony very […]

TRS Defined Benefit Plan Attacked

The Austin American-Statesman published an article on February 10 attacking the defined benefit plans of retired Texas public educators. James Quintero of the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) wrote the attack article. In the article, Quintero questions the funding stability of public pension plans. Quintero’s primary focus is on the pension plans run by the […]

Senate Finance Committee Expanded Update, Featuring Exclusive Video Coverage!

Yesterday, the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) released a brief Inside Line update about the Senate Finance Committee meeting. The committee met yesterday to hear testimony from the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) about the state of the TRS pension fund and the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. […]

Senate Finance Committee Hears Testimony About Pension Fund, TRS-Care

Special Update with More Details to Come! Today, February 11, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) about the state of the TRS pension fund and the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. While the news is good about the pension fund, concern […]

Senate Finance Committee Discussing TRS-Care Tomorrow!

The Senate Finance Committee is meeting tomorrow, February 11, at 9 a.m. to discuss the $768 million shortfall facing the TRS-Care health insurance program. You can watch the meeting via the Legislature’s website. The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) provided a short report today at the House Appropriations Committee meeting. Tomorrow, the Teacher Retirement System of […]

Senate Finance Committee to Discuss TRS-Care Funding Shortfall: ACTION ALERT INCLUDED

This Wednesday, February 11, the Senate Finance Committee will meet to discuss the imminent funding shortfall facing the TRS-Care retiree health insurance program. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) will report that this shortfall has reached $768 million. As you may know already, if nothing is done by the Texas Legislature to address this […]

Texas House Names Committee Members, Movement on the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act

The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) continues to address major legislative initiatives during the 84th Texas Legislature. Our initiatives include funding the TRS-Care health insurance program‘s nearly $750 million shortfall. TRTA is also protecting the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) defined benefit pension plan and the provisions and contributions put into place in 2013 […]

Texas Senate Names Committee Members

The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is busy addressing our major legislative initiatives during the 84th Texas Legislature. These initiatives include addressing the nearly $750 million shortfall facing the TRS-Care health insurance program. TRTA is also focused on protecting the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) defined benefit pension plan, which was made actuarially sound […]

TRTA Legislative Roundtable Half-hour Special

In preparation for the 2015 Texas Legislature, we gathered the most knowledgeable legislative minds within the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) to discuss TRTA’s goals. The following conversation is an extensive look into the issues surrounding TRS-Care. The 84th Texas Legislature convenes Jan. 13 at noon. The video is a half-hour long, so if you […]