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Use the Action Alert here.

This is the last week of the 86^thTexas Legislative Session. The Legislature will likely be taking action on Senate Bill 12 this week to pass the bill into law. SB 12 would make the Teacher Retirement System’s pension fund actuarially sound and provide a supplemental payment of up to $2,400 to retirees.

The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) would like to thank its members for their constant vigilance and dedication this session. Each session provides its own ups and downs, and this one was no different. The progress made by the Legislature on funding the pension system has been encouraging. However, there is still work to be done to ensure SB 12 passes! The bill currently is being negotiated in a conference committee.

Use our Action Alert to send your legislators a final push to pass SB 12! The message is encouraging legislators to pass SB 12 and provide retirees with the supplemental payment as soon as possible, as many retirees are struggling to make ends meet.

The work TRTA’s members put in to this session was extraordinary, and when we started this session, it was far from a certainty that the Legislature would fund the TRS pension plan. We truly appreciate you sticking with TRTA as we worked with the Legislature to improve your retirement benefits. Be sure to stay tuned to the Inside Lineas we keep you updated on SB 12’s progress.

Tom Rogers will retire from the position of Austin Retired Teachers Association’s legislative chair. It’s a position that he’s held for 25 years. The Texas Legislature filed two resolutions honoring Rogers, HR 1470 and SR 704. The bills highlight Roger’s “skill, professionalism and commitment to excellence” and “extend to him sincere best wishes for the future.”

Rogers has been an integral part of the lobby effort in Austin for many years. He’s testified in front of the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and Texas Legislature countless times.

Rogers worked as an educator for 35 years. During his tenure as a teacher, Rogers taught eighth grade science at Fulmore Junior High School. He also served as an astronomy instructor at Austin Community College for five years.

In 2014, Rogers received the E.L. Galyean Service Award from the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), which is our highest possible honor. Rogers has been a staunch and unwavering advocate for retirees. Additionally, Rogers has been pivotal in the planning and execution of TRTA’s biannual Day at the Capitol event.

His lifetime contributions have helped pave the way for many of the benefits retirees enjoy today, and TRTA is grateful and lucky to have had the chance to work with him.

Tim Lee Holds Facebook Live Event

If you missed it, TRTA’s Executive Director, Tim Lee, held a via Facebook Live event today, May 16. You can watch the replay here. If you haven’t already, be sure to like TRTA’s Facebook page.

Many members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) and supporters have written us asking about House Bill 2227. HB 2227 by Rep. Gene Wu (D – Houston) is the bill that addresses minor return-to-work violations and allows current retirees to return to work without penalty. Use our Action Alert to reach out to your Senator and support this bill!

TRTA supports changing the TRS Employment After Retirement (EAR) provisions so that any current retiree who retired on or before August 31, 2018 can return to work without penalty. TRTA also supports changing the EAR rules so that retirees with minor infractions will not lose their entire monthly annuity.

HB 2227 includes changes intended to assist current retirees who wish to work full-time for a TRS-covered employer without the penalty of losing a full pension check.

The bill changes the date in law that exempts retirees from the requirement to stay out of work for an ISD or university for a 12-consecutive month period from current law date of January 1, 2011 to August 31, 2018. This change will not negatively affect actuarial status of TRS. TRTA does not support any reforms to TRS EAR rules that would impact the system negatively.

HB 2227 also assists retirees who work half-time under the law, but who inadvertently exceed the number of hours allowed each month. The current penalty requires that the retiree pay an entire monthly pension check back to the TRS system if they worked even one hour over their allotted time.

TRTA has heard from many members in the past year who needed to go back to work to pay for increased health care costs, accidentally exceeded the time allotted for work hours, and were hit with an enormous bill they cannot afford. This bill requires TRS to give the individual a warning and an opportunity to correct the error. If penalized, the retiree will only be required to pay the TRS system back for the amount of the time they overworked instead of their entire monthly annuity.

This bill is a top priority for TRTA this session due to the outcry from members needing extra income and also those who are now in arrears with the system because of minor violations of this law.

Now is the time to contact your Senator and ask him or her to help get this bill across the finish line this session! Reach your Senator by calling 1.888.674.3788. Be sure to click here to send our Action Alert email!

If you have been negatively affected by current laws regarding this issue, please call your Senator today and tell them your story. We encourage all TRTA members to contact their Senator and urge them to move this bill along.