TEXPERS welcomes two new sponsors of its 2026 Legislative Advocacy Workshop: WCM Investment Management as a Leadership Partner and William Blair as a Workshop Partner. The sponsors support TEXPERS’ efforts to help public pension trustees, administrators, and system leaders prepare for the 90th Texas Legislature, which convenes Jan. 12, 2027. The workshop, themed “Making Your Pension’s Story Impossible to Ignore,” takes place Oct. 27-28 at the Hyatt Centric Congress Austin, 721 Congress Ave. in Austin.

The Investment Diversity Exchange will host TIDE Austin 2026 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Hotel Viata in the Austin area.

Even when financial markets perform well, workers cannot invest money already committed to debt payments and rising household expenses. A recent Investopedia report highlights findings from the National Institute on Retirement Security indicating that debt—not investment market performance—is one of the most immediate barriers to adequate retirement preparation for Americans.

Several notable portfolio manager changes announced in August offer a timely reminder that investment due diligence does not end when a manager is hired.

Registration is underway for the 2026 TEXPERS Legislative Advocacy Workshop, scheduled for Oct. 27–28 at the Hyatt Centric Congress Austin. Guided by the theme “Making Your Pension’s Story Impossible to Ignore,” the workshop will help public pension trustees and administrators move beyond simply presenting facts. Attendees will learn how to organize their messages, tell their systems’ stories and engage more effectively with legislators and their staffs ahead of the 2027 Texas legislative session. Just as importantly, attendees will leave with practical resources they can immediately apply within their retirement systems.

Public pension leadership requires knowledge that reaches well beyond investments. Trustees and administrators must understand fiduciary responsibility, board governance, economics, actuarial principles, retirement research, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the day-to-day work of managing an organization. They must also continue developing the communication and leadership skills needed to work effectively with fellow board members, staff, consultants, policymakers, and plan participants. With those responsibilities in mind, TEXPERS has assembled a reading list of 15 books published or scheduled for publication in 2026. The selections cover four broad areas:

Pensions & Investments will host a free webinar examining how improved funding levels have transformed many defined benefit pension plans from balance-sheet liabilities into potential strategic assets.

Texas added more jobs than any other state during the 12 months ending in July 2026, gaining 165,600 nonfarm positions. For public pension trustees and administrators, the government-workforce trend in Texas also deserves attention. Government employment declined during the same period, according to an announcement from Gov. Greg Abbott, while detailed federal data show the decrease totaled 4,800 jobs.

Public pension trustees play an important role in helping lawmakers understand the responsibilities, challenges and needs of Texas public retirement systems. Guided by the theme “Making Your Pension’s Story Impossible to Ignore,” the TEXPERS 2026 Legislative Advocacy Workshop will provide practical guidance and tools to help trustees and administrators communicate their systems’ stories and participate more effectively in the legislative process.

Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from an experimental tool to an everyday part of the workplace. At the same time, the technology is giving cybercriminals new ways to target organizations, employees and the people they serve.

Representatives from two TEXPERS members will participate in an upcoming Pensions & Investments webinar examining how institutional investors are expanding their use of exchange-traded funds.

The biggest change in artificial intelligence may not be its ability to provide a better answer. It may be what happens after you ask the question.

For several years, most people have used tools such as ChatGPT as a more conversational search engine—asking questions, summarizing documents or drafting emails. A newer generation of tools, often described as agentic AI, can carry out a series of steps and produce something ready for review.

TEXPERS Associate Member Sage Advisory has published a new market commentary examining the Treasury Department’s expanded efforts to buy back longer-dated government bonds while increasing shorter-term issuance.

The Texas Pension Review Board is accepting stakeholder feedback through Friday, Aug. 21, on proposed changes to the Minimum Educational Training program intended to improve compliance among public retirement system trustees and administrators.

The Texas County & District Retirement System has committed €35 million, approximately $40.5 million, to Aspira Fund I (D) AB, according to the retirement system’s latest investment disclosure. TCDRS listed Aug. 18 as the closing or subscription date for the private equity commitment.

The 90th Texas Legislature convenes Jan. 12, 2027, leaving public pension trustees and administrators a limited window to prepare for discussions about issues affecting their retirement systems and members. TEXPERS is helping System Members prepare through its 2026 Legislative Advocacy Workshop, set for Oct. 27-28 at the Hyatt Centric Congress Austin.

Pension Review Board Executive Director Amy Cardona will leave the agency Sept. 25 because of a planned family relocation, the PRB announced Friday, Aug. 14.

The Texas Pension Review Board has opened a 30‑day public comment period on proposed amendments to the rules governing Funding Soundness Restoration Plans.

The TEXPERS 2026 Summer Educational Forum brought public pension trustees, administrators, investment professionals and industry leaders together Aug. 2-4 at The Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio.