State
Representative Honored at Texas
Retired Teachers Association Annual
Convention
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Representative Vicki Truitt
was a featured speaker today
at the 55th annual
convention of the Texas
Retired Teachers Association
(TRTA), in El Paso. She was
also honored for her
leadership and dedication to
Texas’ retired teachers
during the most recent
legislative session.
Representative Truitt, Chair
of the House Pensions and
Investments Committee,
worked with TRTA and her
fellow members of the Texas
Legislature to ensure the
TRS pension trust fund’s
long-term solvency and to
pass the first benefit
increase received by retired
teachers since 2000.
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“TRTA is honored to have
Representative Truitt as a speaker
at this year’s convention,”
commented Tim Lee, TRTA Executive
Director. “TRTA members have heard
so much about her leadership and
commitment to protecting and
improving the TRS fund and to making
the one-time bonus check possible.
They are all looking forward to
seeing her and thanking her
personally for that resolve and
dedication,” Lee concluded. TRTA is
the largest organization of retired
school personnel in the United
States.
"I'm so pleased for our retired
teachers who have had to wait too
long for financial relief. The $650
million new dollars appropriated to
the fund by the Texas Legislature to
TRS last session was key in making
the 13th check a reality," said
Truitt. Rep. Truitt carried SB 1846
which increased the state’s
retirement fund contribution from
6.0 percent to 6.58 percent of
active teacher salaries and
authorized the 13th check.
The Texas Constitution prohibits the
Teacher Retirement System from
providing a benefit increase to its
annuitants unless the fund is
actuarially sound. The TRS fund has
over $100 billion in assets, but has
been actuarially unsound since the
drop in the stock market after the
9/11 attack in 2001.
"Thanks to the hard work of many
concerned legislators, including
Senator Duncan (R-Lubbock), the
Senate author of SB 1846, as well as
the work of Representatives Ruth
McClendon (D-San Antonio), and Lois
Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) both of whom
are on the House Appropriations
Committee, we were able to make this
happen. It was a privilege to work
with them and all Texas legislators
to improve the strength of the TRS
fund for the good of our current and
future retired teachers," said
Truitt.
Rep. Vicki Truitt is a fifth term
legislator from Tarrant County
representing Grapevine, Colleyville,
Southlake, Keller, Westlake, and
parts of Trophy Club and far north
Fort Worth. She is Chairman of the
House Committee on Pensions and
Investments, Vice-Chairman of the
Sunset Advisory Commission, and a
member of the House Committee on
Public Health.
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