State Legislative Updates

As members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) may know, the constitutional amendment that will ask Texas voters to approve funding for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for eligible annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) on the November 2023 General Election ballot is Proposition 9! Read details about the proposed COLA at this link.

TRTA is busy working on materials for our members to use for promoting Prop 9. In the meantime, our members have homework to do!

The most important thing TRTA members can be doing right now is checking on and updating their voter registration status.

We encourage all TRTA members, their family members, friends, colleagues, and supporters to use this link to determine if their voter registration is up-to-date.

After checking your status and determining if your registration is current, you will be given the option to update your mailing address if necessary.


I’M REGISTERED, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO RIGHT NOW?

TRTA is setting the goal for every member to bring 10 friendly “FOR Prop 9” votes with them to the polls this November. August is a great month to begin getting those 10 commitments!

You can share information with your neighbors and other people in your community using the information available at this link. This webpage includes a Voter Alert Flyer you can share now.

Let’s start checking all the boxes to get Prop 9 passed this November! Make sure you’re registered and begin telling everyone you know about the importance of the pension increase for TRS retirees.

Thank you for being a member of TRTA. We are asking members to please renew their dues with TRTA if they have not done so already. If you know someone who is not a member, please invite them to join us! There is strength in numbers and the surest way for us to accomplish success is to grow the organization.


TEXAS HOUSE PASSES SENATE BILL 10

SB 10 OVERVIEW


One-time Supplemental Payments/Stipends Eligibility
*(must be within specified age group on any day in the calendar month before the payment is made, payment expected in September 2023)

TRS retirees age 70-74*                    $2,400

TRS retirees age 75 and older*         $7,500

Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) Eligibility
*(contingent upon the passage of HJR 2 constitutional amendment; if approved by voters in November 2023, COLAs would start in January 2024)

–retired September 1, 2013 through August 31, 2020*   2%

–retired September 1, 2001 through August 31, 2013*   4%

–retired on or before August 31, 2001*                            6%