GET INVOLVED: LEGISLATION & ADVOCACY
GIVE YOURSELF A BOOST THROUGH ENGAGEMENT
What is Legislative Advocacy?
You have a right to advocate on your own behalf - as long as it's on your own time and with your own personal resources. Here are a few ways to get involved:
- Join TPEA, an organization that advocates for you
- Subscribe to our newsletter with your home email address
- Know who represents you
- Think about your circle of influence
- Contact your legislator(s)
How does one advocate for oneself?
As a state employee or retiree, you gain a lot from policymaking. So, it's a great idea to try and sway lawmakers to vote in a way that supports you, chat about important issues, or help pass legislation that benefits you. You can do this in person, over the phone, or through email.
What to do:
- Get to know who you will be addressing. Who is the elected legislator?
- With each communication, you should only talk about one issue. Be kind and respectful.
- Introduce yourself. Tell them your name, age, number of years worked for the state, and if retired, the date you retired.
- Learn about your issue and bring effective handouts or data. Backing up any issue with facts and background information really helps.
- Most importantly, use your personal story. Tell the legislator how the issue affects you.
- Bring an idea or solution. Tell your legislator what you'd like to see done to fix it.
- Build a relationship by contacting them again with credibility and respect. The legislator's staff will get to know you.
- If the legislator is holding a meeting in your area, meet with them there. It's a great way to raise your concerns.
ERS Retirees Talking Points
Here are some talking points for a retiree benefit enhancement:
- For nearly a quarter of a century, (that's almost 25 years), the State has failed to address the pensions of ERS retirees, resulting in about a 40% loss of buying power.
- The cost of basic goods has increased around the country, bread has risen from $.99 a pound in July 2004, to $1.98 a pound in July 2024. A dozen eggs was $1.25 compared to $3.08 in 2004, and a gallon of gas has gone from $1.94 to $3.62 a gallon, yet a State of Texas Retiree still relies on the same pension check amount to survive.
- When the legislature last passed a benefit enhancement for ERS in 2001, it was expected that Texas leaders would continue to recognize the service that State workers gave to the citizens of our state by fulfilling the promise of a dignified retirement. However Legislature after legislature has left that expectation unfulfilled.
- Will you please recognize the years of service that retirees provided to your constituents by passing a desperately needed benefit enhancement for ERS retirees?
- Thank you for your time.
ADVOCACY ACTION CENTER
The Texas Public Employees Association experienced success since the beginning by securing passage of the constitutional amendment and statutes that created the Employees Retirement System (ERS) in 1947. TPEA’s advocacy on behalf of active and retired state employees is characterized by pragmatic proposals, creative problem solving and a clear, consistent vision of superior benefits and competitive salaries that allow employees to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for themselves and their families.
For more than 79 years, TPEA has worked to protect the financial security of current and former state employees.
During this Legislative session, TPEA is actively working for more than the 250,000 current employees and retired Texans who receive ERS benefits because they have dedicated their careers to serving Texans. TPEA representatives and members have actively testified more than 40 times during this last session. TPEA also created multiple resources and documents to educate Legislators and the public, as well as the media.