Executive Summary:
- Both the House and Senate have filed bills to make the TRS fund actuarially sound.
- Use our action alert to contact your legislators!
- Join us for Day at the Capitol on April 3!
March is the most crucial month for legislative action on issues that impact you and your fellow public education retirees. The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is moving full steam ahead, and we need your help!
Contact your legislator today by clicking here!
The Texas Legislature is moving at a rapid pace, finalizing budget discussions, hearing bills in committee, having heated floor session debates, and we need them to be THINKING ABOUT YOU while they are doing the work of Texas!
The march is on to #RAISETHEBASE funding for the pension fund and TRS-Care!
The Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas Pension Fund
Senador Joan Huffman (R – Houston) filed Senate Bill 12 that, if passed, would make the pension fund actuarially sound and provide retirees with a 13th check. Per a press release written by Huffman’s office, “by addressing TRS’s solvency problem with a conservative plan, the Legislature can secure the retirement for teachers!”
The press release continues “the proposed bill would increase state, district, and active employees’ pension contributions over a six-year period. The bill would also provide a “13th check” to ALL retired school employees, putting more money in retirees’ hands immediately.”
In the Texas House, Representative Greg Bonnen (R – Friendswood) has filed House Bill 9. HB 9 would make the pension fund actuarially sound by raising the state contribution to TRS to 8.8 percent over time as well as provide a one-time payment to retired teachers. The current state contribution rate is 6.8 percent and is the lowest in the nation among non-mandatory Social Security states.
“Making TRS actuarially sound treats teachers like the professionals they are,” Bonnen said. “Retired teachers are at the forefront of all we do this session.”
Read more about each bill and how the Senate and House are working together to address TRS pension funding in this Austin American-Statesman article.
If you are a retiree or an active educator thinking about retiring, then this conversation is about you!
The 66th Annual TRTA Convention
TRTA is busy finalizing all of the intricate details that go into planning an amazing annual convention and business meeting. Next week, TRTA will send out training session schedules and more! The registration deadline has been extended to March 15, 2019!
If you are attending convention and want to be trained on being the best TRTA advocate you can be, then this conversation is about you!
TRTA Day at the Capitol on April 3
TRTA is marching on the Texas Capitol grounds on Wednesday, April 3, with thousands of retirees ready to rally to #RAISETHEBASE! If you want to attend this day of grassroots advocacy and make your voice heard and get your legislators thinking about you, then make a plan to join us on April 3! Don’t miss this great opportunity to band together with your fellow retirees!
If you want to make the pension fund sound and able to provide cost-of-living adjustments to its retirees and you want to keep TRS-Care affordable for yourself, your fellow retirees, and future retirees, then this conversation is about you!
Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
TRTA Executive Director Tim Lee visited Boston, Massachusetts last week to meet with our national partners about what the next steps are in repealing this unfair federal provision! Next week, TRTA will let you know more about progress on the WEP!
Are your earned Social Security wages being taken away from you? Then this conversation is about you!
The Most Important Things You Can Be Doing Right Now
TRTA needs your help! March is the month that will make all the difference in our legislative agenda! LET’S SET OUR GOALS HIGH AND GO FOR THEM! THE MARCH IS ON!
1. Call Your Legislators
Use our toll-free hotline 1.888.674.3788. Let’s make 25,000 phone calls in March! Make regular, once-weekly phone calls to your elected officials asking them to “Raise the Base Funding for the Pension Fund and TRS-Care!”
2. Email Your Legislators
Email your elected officials! TRTA members have sent thousands of emails so far this session. Let’s send 50,000 emails this month!
Send your email today by clicking here!
3. RSVP to TRTA Day at the Capitol
Make a plan to join us at Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, April 3! RSVP via Facebook here!
Gracias
Gracias por su membresía en TRTA. Estamos luchando ardientemente por sus beneficios todos los días en el Capitolio. Si aún no es miembro de TRTA, por favor únete aquí.
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