Click here to send a short email to your legislator thanking them for their hard work and encouraging them to finish strong for their retired school employee constituents!
The Texas Retired Teachers Association’s (TRTA) legislative agenda is progressing in the Texas Legislature. TRS-Care, the health insurance program more than 240,000 retired public educators rely upon, is on the verge of receiving $768 million to fund its budget shortfall. We have many people to thank for the attention and urgency legislators applied to the TRS-Care issue.
When the 84th Legislative Session started, TRS-Care was out of money and headed for a potential disaster. Texas legislative leaders and budget writers wasted no time putting forward an idea to fully fund the pending shortfall and protect retirees’ health care for the coming biennium.
The Texas House placed $768 million to fund TRS-Care in the “supplemental appropriation” bill and sent it to the Senate. Rep. John Otto (R – Dayton), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, made two major announcements on the House floor telling his fellow Representatives about the plan. Rep. Joe Straus (R – San Antonio), Speaker of the Texas House, stated on Twitter that the Texas House supports retired teachers!
We are grateful to ALL of the members of the Texas House, especially the dedicated leaders who developed this solution. TRTA will provide more information about this plan and those involved in our upcoming news bulletin review of the legislative session.
The Texas Senate made a special announcement on April 8 to a standing-room only crowd of TRTA members in the Senate gallery at our Day at the Capitol event.
Sen. Jane Nelson (R – Flower Mound), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told the crowd the Texas Senate was going to fully fund the TRS-Care shortfall. Her announcement was met with thunderous applause from the audience.
The Texas Legislature has been listening to TRTA members. They appreciate your service and your dedication. We have many friends in the Texas Legislature, but our work is not over!
Final action on the bill that will fund our TRS-Care shortfall has not yet occurred. HB 2 is in the Senate Finance Committee, and we need that legislation to progress to ensure TRS-Care will receive the necessary funding.
TRTA has every reason to believe the Legislature is working in a positive way to support you and this important matter. This action alert is our request to you to encourage your legislator as this session winds down into the final month.
Legislators are still prioritizing your interests. A number of other bills have been filed with the intent to help retirees who did not receive a benefit increase last session. Last session, SB 1458 provided a 3 percent cost-of-living increase to TRS retirees who retired before September 2004.
However, session days are getting long, negotiations on other matters are intense and many interest groups are messaging legislators constantly.
Now is the time to send some words of encouragement to the legislators who started this session by thinking of you and your health care program. Let’s show the Texas Legislature that TRTA appreciates the hard work and support our legislators have provided!
Send your legislator an email thanking them for their hard work by haciendo clic aquí.
With time left this legislative session, we may still see other actions that will benefit TRS retirees. TRTA will work for you every day; protecting your earned benefits and looking for ways to improve your retirement security.
¡Gracias!
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 Canal de Youtube for regular video updates.
