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In 2023, due to TRTA’s strong advocacy efforts, the Legislature appropriated approximately $5 billion in general revenue designated for COLAs and supplemental payments for eligible TRS annuitants, the largest amount ever appropriated from the state using only general revenue funds for a TRS benefit enhancement. TRTA accomplished the following:

• Worked with the Legislature to pass Senate Bill 10, providing all TRS annuitants aged 70 and older with a supplemental payment and a tiered cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for TRS annuitants who retired as of August 31, 2020 or before.
• Ensured that the TRS pension fund contribution increases from the state were implemented to help maintain the fund’s actuarial soundness.
• Engaged in a comprehensive statewide media campaign to support the passage of a constitutional amendment in the November election that will provide $3.3 billion in general revenue funds for tiered COLAs for TRS annuitants.
• Secured the passage of SCR 28, a resolution urging Congress to repeal GPO and WEP.

In 2021, TRTA’s advocacy added $1 billion of new funding into the TRS pension fund! TRTA accomplished the following:

• Worked with the Legislature to keep its promise of allocating $5 billion towards TRS.
• Passed a supplemental payment bill that provided eligible TRS retirees with additional income!
• Passed a Sunset bill that mandates TRS to be more responsive to member needs, creates an ombudsman at TRS, requires TRS to report bonuses for its investment team, and increases customer service in health care appeals.
• Passed a Golden Ticket bill that allows retirees who left TRS-Care to rejoin!
• Passed a return-to-work bill that requires TRS to alert educators before penalizing them for minor infractions.