Over the past two decades, 11 million more U.S. households have paid off their mortgages, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. That’s good news for retirement readiness among public employees. But the story isn’t all positive—the majority of homes are still owned with mortgages, and that reality underscores the financial pressures trustees and administrators must keep in mind as we plan for the future of our systems.

The terrorist attacks of Sept.  11, 2001, caused significant loss of life and lasting trauma for our nation. The events of that day, the emergency response, and the acts of selflessness—from individuals sworn to duty and everyday people alike—remain powerful reminders of the value of public service. Today, on Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance, we honor the victims and the heroes of 9/11. We also reflect on the millions of public employees who serve our communities every day—teachers, police officers, firefighters, city workers, and countless others who form the backbone of civic life in Texas and across the country.

The Texas Pension Review Board (PRB) will hold its next board meeting at 10 a.m. on Thurs., Sept. 25, 2025, at the William P. Clements Building, Fourth Floor, Room 402, 300 W. 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701. The meeting is open to the public, with a virtual option available via Zoom. 

Nevada's Aug. 30 ransomware shutdown shows how fast entire systems—even pensions—could be paralyzed by a single cyber strike.

Texas lawmakers officially adjourned the 89th Legislature’s 2nd Called Special Session sine die on Sept. 4, 2025—a Latin phrase meaning “without day,” which signals the final adjournment of a legislative session with no set date to reconvene. The move closed out the session without advancing any new legislation directly affecting public pensions, investments, or retirement benefits. Despite calls from retiree advocates for a supplemental “13th check,” the issue was not included in the Governor’s call, according to the Texas Public Employees Association.

For pension fund trustees and administrators, understanding workforce trends is essential to anticipating contribution flows and retirement readiness. The U.S. Census Bureau on Sept. 3 released Educational Attainment in the United States: 2024, a table package examining the education levels of adults age 18 and older. The findings provide valuable insight into the economic and demographic forces that shape public pension systems.

(An update to our Aug. 27 post: “Two Proxy Advisory Firms Suing State Over New Law”.) A U.S. federal judge has blocked enforcement of Senate Bill 2337 (SB 2337)—the new Texas law targeting proxy advisory firms—before it could take effect, according to Reuters.

The National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) released a new study, Debunking the Job-Hopping Myth: A Data-Driven Look at Tenure and Turnover Among Younger Workers (Sept. 2025), challenging the belief that Millennials and Gen Z workers change jobs more often than previous generations.

Two of the nation's largest proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, are suing the State of Texas over a new law that could directly affect how public pension funds and trustees receive shareholder voting guidance.

The 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors, may be over, but your learning and networking don’t have to be. The Whova mobile and web app remain open, so you can swap templates, line up quick peer chats, and grab sponsor resources tailored to public plans.

From Aug. 3–5, 2025, 274 trustees, administrators, and industry professionals convened in El Paso, Texas, for the TEXPERS Summer Educational Forum—offering three days packed with professional development, pension fund governance insights, and networking built on a foundation of retirement security for public employees.

Rector “Choc” McCollum, a retired Dallas police sergeant and longtime advocate for public employee retirement systems, died July 16 in Plano. He was 69.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP (BLBG) as the official sponsor of this year’s Fiduciary Fizz Mocktail, the signature drink of the 2025 Summer Educational Forum’s Networking Welcome Reception on Sunday, Aug. 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Paso Del Norte Lobby of the El Paso Convention Center.

Texas Pension Review Board staff actuary David Fee and agency intern Annika Leong, briefed board members July 10 on the latest steps in the Funding Soundness Restoration Plan. Their report outlined shifts in actuarial assumptions, valuation timing, key system statistics, and statewide funding trends, highlighting both system-specific changes and broader patterns in public pension liabilities and assumptions.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome back Dimensional Fund Advisors as the Presenting Sponsor of our 2025 Summer Educational Forum, taking place August 3–5 in El Paso, Texas.

TEXPERS has extended the deadline to reserve rooms in the official hotel block to July 18, 2025, for the 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors. Held Aug. 3–5 at the El Paso Convention Center in El Paso, the forum provides state-approved continuing education hours for public retirement system trustees and administrators. The official event hotel is the Hotel Paso del Norte (Autograph Collection).

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has released its Pro‑Worker Scorecard for the 89th Texas Legislative Session, grading state lawmakers on their alignment with ten legislative priorities aimed at improving wages, benefits, and workplace conditions across Texas. For public employees and those overseeing retirement systems, the scorecard provides insight into where elected officials stand on issues that can impact compensation, benefits, and long-term retirement security.

The box has just arrived and is nearly overflowing with ribbons for the 2025 TEXPERS Summer Educational Forum, thanks to sponsor Pomerantz LLP, the official Lanyard Sponsor of the event.

In a June 2025 blog post, AARP Texas highlighted a range of legislative achievements for older Texans: enhanced fraud protection, stronger standards for long‑term care, expanded housing support, judicial training, and a proposed Dementia Prevention & Research Institute. While not all bills directly reference pensions, they have clear implications for fund administrators in policy, risk management, and member communication.