Legislation
Arlington RSEA is an affiliate of TRTA (Texas Retired Teachers Association ). TRTA is the only statewide organization in Texas that works exclusively for retired public school and higher education personnel at the legislative level to maintain or improve benefits to all retirees. ARSEA works with our state Legislative Committees to provide members with information about their annuities and TRS benefits. We provide information and resources about upcoming local and state elections and legislative actions. We visit with legislators in person and virtually, and stay in touch by phone and email.
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Membership in ARSEA/TRTA provides the following:
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Advocacy on issues important to retirees, including working for a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and repealing the Windfall Elimination Program (WEP)
WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED
TRTA has a proven track record.
In 2024, TRTA worked with its national coalition partners to repeal the arbitrary and unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). For more than four decades, TRS retirees who also worked in the private sector before, during, or after their education careers and paid into Social Security saw their Social Security benefits slashed by WEP, simply because they also received a public pension. TRS retirees also had their spousal or survivor benefits cut or eliminated by GPO. TRTA will continue to keep members updated about the implementation of H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, as benefits are restored for thousands of TRS retirees and millions of public servants.
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.
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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.
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Ensured that the TRS pension fund contribution increases from the state were implemented to help maintain the fund’s actuarial soundness.
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Launched a successful, comprehensive statewide campaign to support the passage of Proposition 9, a constitutional amendment in the November General Election that provided $3.3 billion in general revenue funds for tiered COLAs for TRS annuitants. Proposition 9 received more votes than any of the other 13 amendments on the ballot!
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Helped secure the passage of SCR 28, a resolution urging Congress to repeal GPO and WEP.