Dear friends,

The Texas Legislature is getting ready to settle the state budget, and the Texas Pension Coalition needs your help sending a message to conference committee members: Keep funding for both the Employees Retirement System and Teachers Retirement System in the final budget!

Every legislative session, the Texas House and Senate each set up a budget for the following two years. They also square up any differences from the previous two years through supplemental appropriations. When lawmakers reconcile each chamber's version of the budget and supplemental appropriations through a conference committee, the process can get long and contentious.

We want to make sure that pension protections in the House's versions of the 2020-2021 budget and supplemental appropriations budget make their way into the final version of these budgets. We're really focused on these provisions in the House version of 2020-2021 budget and supplemental appropriations bill that protect and improve your pensions:

• Support for the Employees Retirement System (ERS): The House's budget plans effectively increase the state’s overall contribution rate to ERS by 2%. This means the state would be putting in a fairer share of contributions into ERS, ensuring that Texans who serve their state can retire with dignity and security.
• Support for the Teachers Retirement System (TRS):  The House's budget plans allow the Teachers Retirement System to better provide for current and retired educators' pensions. Together, these budgets return the retirement system to a healthy condition.  They also enable the funds for retired teachers to receive a much-needed supplemental payment, or "13th check."
  

The Texas Pension Coalition works for teachers, firefighters, police officers, public employees, and state employees, to protect their public pension benefits and ensure they can retire with dignity and security.  It's our responsibility to keep an eye on things like the state budget, to make sure your pensions remain safe!

We need your help letting conference committee members know that protections for both ERS and TRS need to stay in the final budget. It only takes a couple minutes to reach out to your legislators, so let's get started!

Best,

Keegan

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Keegan Shepherd
Pension Policy Coordinator
Texas Pension Coaltion