House Appropriations to Meet September 8 to Discuss Status of TRS

The Texas House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet this Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) is included on the agenda, and is expected to provide an overview of the TRS pension fund and information about the current status of TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare.

The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) will provide written testimony for the hearing. The meeting will be held in Room E1.030 in the Texas Capitol.

TRTA strongly encourages members to watch the meeting live online. TRS currently is scheduled as the third state agency on the agenda. A live link to the meeting webcast will be available from this link once the meeting has begun.

As our members already know, TRTA supports a substantial and meaningful cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for TRS retirees as a priority item in the 88th Texas Legislature. ONLY the Texas Legislature can authorize a COLA for TRS Retirees, and we must lay the groundwork now to ensure that our deserving retired educators are at the top of the state’s list of priorities.

Since 2005, TRTA and the Texas Legislature have partnered together to increase funding to TRS, eliminate costly retirement loopholes, help make TRS actuarially sound, and provide three supplemental checks to TRS retirees. These steps were taken to benefit TRS and TRS retirees.

The Legislature’s actions have brought us forward to a time where a substantial COLA is now possible. We need the Legislature to act now!

Reminder: TRTA District Fall Conferences Underway

TRTA is asking all those interested in attending one of the upcoming 20 District Fall Conferences to RSVP to the event of their choosing. If you have connected with a district leader already to let them know you are attending, you do not need to complete the RSVP below.

TRTA Executive Director Tim Lee will be the featured speaker at 15 of these events.

We have had hundreds of members contact us wanting to attend, and an RSVP system will ensure that each event space may accommodate all attendees who are interested.

Please click here to RSVP! View a complete list of the fall conferences by clicking here.

Members, we encourage every one of you, whether you are in a local chapter or not, to attend the district fall conference in your area. We must join forces and come into the next session with a unified voice and send a clear message to the Texas Legislature that RETIREES NEED A COLA NOW!

Please, encourage your friends and colleagues who have not yet joined to become a part of the ONLY association in Texas that focuses solely on protecting and improving benefits for Texas retired public education employees. Join today!

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