The Special Session of the Texas Legislature begins today on Monday, July 21st. The agenda for the special session is set by the governor, so we personally delivered and emailed a letter to Governor Abbott on Thursday July 17th, urging him to consider the addition of a 13th check for retirees to the agenda.
The Challenge
In the wake of the devastating floods across Central Texas, we recognize that it may be difficult to advance this issue during the upcoming special session, as the Governor has announced 18 agenda items which includes addressing warning systems, disaster relief, infrastructure repairs, emergency funding, and more. These are urgent and necessary priorities that will understandably dominate legislative attention.
While TPEA continues to advocate strongly for retired state employees, including the long-overdue 13th check, the reality is that the Governor controls the items placed on the special session call. At this time, the 13th check has not been included and it will be a challenge to get it added to the agenda given the emergency nature of this session.
But we will not stop raising our voices for retirees and will continue to request a place on the agenda for this special session and any other special sessions called this year.
If you support a 13th check for retirees, please take a moment to sign our petition. There is strength in numbers, and a big show of support goes a long way with our request.
We appreciate your support, and we will continue to provide updates as the session gets underway.
