State of Texas Employees Matter
TPEA is unlike any other advocacy organization because we solely focus just on Texas and we're not governed by a national organization. Created by state employees more than 78 years ago, TPEA has worked to protect the financial security of current and former state employees.
We believe that your invaluable contribution to keeping the state of Texas running deserves continuous advocacy to ensure that you are paid fairly, and your benefits are continuously funded. Our membership funds remain in Texas to advocate exclusively for the rights of our public employees.
We are dedicated to resolving issues through peaceful and thoughtful strategies, supported by thorough research that is shared with legislators to equip them with the necessary data for making informed decisions during budget allocations.
We Do Things Differently
Unity Amplifies Our Voice
By increasing our membership numbers, we can amplify our voices and ensure that legislators hear us loud and clear. With more members, we have the power to make a significant impact on the decisions that affect the pay and benefits of State of Texas employees and retirees.
Julie Beaubien, Public Involvement Section Team Lead at TxDOT
I’m a member of TPEA because they continuously keep me in the loop with issues that impact me. TPEA staff is advocating for state employees and retirees daily – and they connect us with a ton of resources, including an easy way to reach out to my state representatives. On top of all this – they provide some great benefits! They are the only association that fights for all state employees and retirees.
ADVOCACY ACTION CENTER
From its beginning, TPEA has been at the forefront of advocacy, achieving a significant milestone with the adoption of the constitutional amendment and laws that established the Employees Retirement System (ERS) in 1947.
TPEA champions the needs of both active and retired state employees through forward-thinking solutions, innovative approaches, and a steadfast commitment to enhancing benefits and salaries. This dedication ensures that employees can secure a fulfilling life for themselves and their loved ones.
How Texas Laws Are Made
This infographic shows the many steps a bill must go through in Texas to become law. After a bill is written (a long process in itself), it must travel through and survive several committee hearings, debates, and votes. There are many opportunities for a bill to fail, or to simply get stuck in the process without ever reaching the final ‘law’ stage. When it comes to legislation relating to state employees and retirees, some bills are successful enough to make it to law, while some fail during a committee hearing or a vote. Regardless, TPEA tracks and covers those bills at every stage, sometimes serving as subject matter experts for drafting legislation or providing testimony.
The Texas Budget Cycle
Have you ever wondered how state agency's budgets are determined, or how much money is put into/taken away from the ERS pension fund? This graphic shows the Texas budget cycle – the process in which the legislature and the governor deliberate and decide on how much money state agencies are allotted each fiscal year, and how they’re allowed to spend it. Once the legislature determines the state’s budget for the next year, the budget bill is reviewed and signed (or not) by the governor, who then distributes budgets and instructions to state agencies.
Citizen Handbook: Texas Legislature
The Citizen Handbook gives a broader and more detailed look at the Texas Legislature and how it works, including: how to be more effective in the advocacy process, a list of legislative committees, a glossary of common terms used in the legislature, and more!
Let's Be Ready for the Next Legislative Session
Did you know?
- Membership allows TPEA to continue advocating for you, your salaries, pensions and benefits all year round.
- Membership helps with supplemental insurance discounts for you and your family that you might not be able to get otherwise.
- Membership offers you and your family access to discounted childcare tuition, products, entertainment, travel and more.
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