The following is a record of TPEA's past legislative efforts and its agenda for the future. To learn more, see our EMPACT section. Check out our advocacy section for ways to get involved beyond joining TPEA.
Agenda (archives)
TPEA Legislative Agenda for 2009
Retirement Issues
13th check for ERS retirees. TPEA supports legislative action that will provide sufficient employee and state retirement contributions to ERS to allow for issuance of a 13th check as soon as it is actuarially possible. TPEA will support a statutory increase in the active employee retirement contribution rate provided that there is an offsetting employee pay raise, and that the state contribution rate, combined with the employee contribution, will allow for issuance of a 13th check. Additional employee contributions are necessary to assure the long term actuarial soundness of the ERS retirement fund.
Compensation Issues
General pay raises to maintain state competitiveness. TPEA supports pay raises of 3.50 percent in FY 2010 and 4 percent in FY 2011, with appropriate dollar monthly minimum increases, for all general government state employees. Pay raises at this level are necessary to preserve the relative competitive status of state pay versus other public and private employers, as well as to account for increases in the cost of living.
Incremental pay raises for ultra-high turnover. TPEA supports additional pay raise increments of 2 percent in both years of the next biennium for those occupational categories that have been experiencing annual turnover rates in excess of 20 percent annually. Based on the most recent turnover data available, this would include TDCJ correctional staff, TYC juvenile correctional staff, direct care staff at DADS State Schools and DSHS State Hospitals, Adult and Child Protective Services Specialists at DFPS, and nurses with RN or LVN degrees.
Funding for agency merit pay awards. TPEA supports appropriation of funds to each general government state agency for merit salary awards, unless an agency’s funding source could require staff reductions to meet this goal. Funding for merit awards should be in the amount of one half of one percent of gross agency payroll in FY 2010 and one percent of gross payroll in FY 2011.
Health Benefits Issues
Maintain state insurance contribution policy for active and retired employees. TPEA supports maintaining the current state health insurance contribution policy of paying the full premium for full-time active and retired employees, and half the premium cost for spouses and other dependents. TPEA opposes increases in copayments or other out of pocket costs, as well as other efforts to shift costs or cause adverse selection within the state Group Benefit Plan.
Promote wellness to generate longer-term savings. TPEA supports efforts to encourage and promote healthy lifestyles and other behavioral changes that will help reduce longer term health care costs. In particular, TPEA supports creation of a smoking cessation benefit.