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HB 2163

AN ACT relating to benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of

House Bill Allen
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

Provides a one-time 10% benefit adjustment and establishes a 4% annual cost-of-living adjustment for retired teachers and other eligible annuitants through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Eligible retirees who had their retirement effective before September 1, 2024, will receive a supplemental payment in January 2026, calculated based on their regular monthly annuity payment. The bill aims to provide financial support for retired educators by helping them keep pace with inflation and increasing their retirement benefits.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 824, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 824.7015 and 824.704 to read as follows:
Sec. 824.7015.  ONE-TIME ADJUSTMENT TO BENEFITS.  (a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the amount
of a monthly service retirement benefit, disability retirement
benefit, or death benefit paid under this chapter is increased to
include a one-time 10 percent adjustment in accordance with this
(b)  The board of trustees shall recompute the amount of a
benefit paid monthly under this chapter by applying the 10 percent
adjustment to the monthly amount otherwise required to be paid as
determined in accordance with the other applicable provisions of
Sec. 824.704.  ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR COST OF LIVING.  (a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the amount
of a monthly service retirement benefit, disability retirement
benefit, or death benefit paid under this chapter is increased to
include a four percent annual cost-of-living adjustment in
(b)  On January 1 of each year, the board of trustees shall
recompute the amount of a benefit paid monthly under this chapter by
applying the four percent adjustment to the monthly amount
otherwise required to be paid as determined in accordance with the
other applicable provisions of this chapter and other law.
SECTION 2.  (a)  The Teacher Retirement System of Texas
shall make a supplemental payment of a retirement or death benefit,
(b)  The supplemental payment is payable in January 2026 and,
to the extent practicable, on a date or dates that coincide with the
regular annuity payment payable to each eligible annuitant.
(c)  The amount of the supplemental payment is equal to the
(2)  the gross amount of the regular annuity payment to
which the eligible annuitant is otherwise entitled for the month of
(d)  The supplemental payment is payable without regard to
any forfeiture of benefits under Section 824.601, Government Code.
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall make applicable tax
withholding and other legally required deductions before
disbursing the supplemental payment.  A supplemental payment under
this section is in addition to and not in lieu of the regular
monthly annuity payment to which the eligible annuitant is
(e)  Subject to Subsection (f) of this section, to be
eligible for the supplemental payment, a person must be, for the
month of December 2025, and disregarding any forfeiture of benefits
under Section 824.601, Government Code, an annuitant eligible to
(1)  a standard retirement annuity payment;
(2)  an optional retirement annuity payment as either a
(3)  a life annuity payment under Section
824.402(a)(4), Government Code;
(4)  an annuity for a guaranteed period of 60 months
under Section 824.402(a)(3), Government Code; or
(5)  an alternate payee annuity payment under Section
(f)  If the annuitant is a retiree or a beneficiary under an
optional retirement payment plan, to be eligible for the
supplemental payment, the effective date of the retirement of the
member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas must have been
before September 1, 2024.  If the annuitant is a beneficiary under
Section 824.402(a)(3) or (4), Government Code, to be eligible for
the supplemental payment, the date of death of the member of the
retirement system must have been before September 1, 2024.  The
supplemental payment shall be made to an alternate payee who is an
annuitant under Section 804.005, Government Code, only if the
annuity payment to the alternate payee commenced before September
1, 2024.  The supplemental payment is in addition to the guaranteed
number of payments under Section 824.402(a)(3) or 824.204(c)(3) or
(4), Government Code, and may not be counted as one of the
(g)  The supplemental payment does not apply to payments
(1)  Section 824.304(a), Government Code, relating to
disability retirees with less than 10 years of service credit;
(2)  Section 824.304(b)(2), Government Code, relating
to disability retirees who receive a disability annuity in an
(3)  Section 824.804(b), Government Code, relating to
participants in the deferred retirement option plan with regard to
payments from their deferred retirement option plan accounts;
(4)  Section 824.501(a), Government Code, relating to
retiree survivor beneficiaries who receive a survivor annuity in an
(5)  Section 824.404(a), Government Code, relating to
active member survivor beneficiaries who receive a survivor annuity
(h)  Except as provided by this section, the board of
trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall determine
the eligibility for and the amount and timing of a supplemental
payment and the manner in which the payment is made.
(i)  The Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall pay the
supplemental payment made under this section from the retired
reserve account and may transfer to that account from the state
contribution account any portion of the amount that exceeds the
amount in the retired reserve account available to finance the
supplemental payment and that is actuarially determined to be
necessary to finance the supplemental payment. The supplemental
payment under this section must comply with Section 821.006,
SECTION 3.  Sections 824.7015 and 824.704, Government Code,
as added by this Act, apply only to a monthly benefit payment made
by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas on or after September 1,
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill Sponsors

Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of