December 2021
Clarification: The post below has been updated for clarity. The Dallas Police and Fire Pension System is not part of the Texas Municipal Retirement System. It is the 24-member staff of the DPFP that joined the statewide municipal retirement system.
Six Cities and Staff of Dallas Pension Plan Join Statewide Municipal Retirement System
The Texas Municipal Retirement System, the statewide multi-employer retirement plan, is managing the retirement benefits of six new participating cities and the staff of a Dallas pension plan.
Top Stories
Survey Figures Offer Pension Managers Insight Into Holiday Economy
Each holiday season, the U.S. Census Bureau releases its economic rundown of holiday economic retail figures. As trustees and administrators of public employee retirement systems, keeping up with the financial market is essential. Pension funds in the U.S. hold trillions of dollars in assets and are critical economic institutions in their quests to make up for some of the loss of income for retired state and local government workers such as police and firefighters. 
Texas House Speaker Announces Appointments to Sunset Advisory Commission
House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, recently announced his appointments to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which determines when state agencies will be abolished if the Legislature doesn't act to extend them.
30 Seats Open in Texas House and Senate
There are 30 open seats in the Texas House and Senate up for grabs during the March 2022 Primary Election and November 2022 General Election. Candidates had until Dec. 13 to file for the election. Early voting for the March Primary begins on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022.
Texas News Headlines
First Responders Don't Get Much of a Break During Holidays: Report
When families gather for the holidays, workers nationwide often get time off to spend with loved ones. That isn't always the case for thousands of public employees who work as first responders. The holidays can be a stressful time for those in law enforcement and firefighting. In fact, the holidays often result in higher numbers of incidents as folks strive to create festive memories. Yet, most first responders stay on the job despite the stress of the holidays and beyond.
Member Poll
How important are pension benefits in the recruitment and retention of public employees?
Extremely
Moderately
Not at All
Last Month's Poll Results
In the November Outlook newsletter, we asked our readers how severe the impact of COVID-19 has been on your noncovered public pension plan? Out of the 12 respondents, eight were split on the effect COVID-19 had on noncovered public pension plans - 33.3% (4) indicated the impact as extreme and 33.3% (4) reported the impact as moderate. Three (25%) respondents indicated they do not operate a noncovered public pension plan. One person (8.3% of respondents) indicated COVID-19 didn't impact their noncovered public pension plan.
National News Headlines
Public Pensions

Economics & Investments

Studies & Reports

Legislative/Government Updates

Retirement

*Some links to sites may require registration to access articles.
Another year of professional development and education by TEXPERS has helped public pension trustees and administrators gain the insight they need to manage the retirement benefits of state and local public employees. Thank you for trusting our association to bring you the most current information from some of the pension and investment industry's top thought leaders. TEXPERS wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Please note. TEXPERS' offices will be closed Dec. 24, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022, in observance of the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays. Our offices open back up on Jan. 3, 2022. We look forward to working with you in the new year.
Mark Your Calendar
Sponsoring TEXPERS' Conference Helps Pension Fund Trustees and Administrators Gain Valuable Public Retirement Industry Insight
Sponsorship opportunities are available for TEXPERS' Associate Advisor, Associate, Consultant, Actuary, and Vendor members at our 2022 Annual Conference, April 3-6 in Fort Worth, Texas. Please join us as we empower our local public retirement system members from across the state with the tools and industry insights to manage and govern their retirement funds.
Annual Economic and Financial Markets Webinar
PFM Asset Management
Virtual | 1 p.m. CST, Dec. 16,2021
NAIC Insight Series - A Virtual Conversation with Margaret Anadu
National Association of Investment Companies
Virtual | 2 p.m. CST, Dec. 16,2021
Better Bang for the Buck 3.0
National Institute on Retirement Security
Webinar | Noon-1 p.m. CST, Jan. 13, 2022
13th Annual Retirement Policy Conference
National Institute on Retirement Security
In-person Event | Feb. 28-March 1, 2022
Membership Magazine
TEXPERS Pension Observer
Vol. 4, 2021
You should be receive the final edition of TEXPERS Pension Observer for 2021 in the mail this month. If you haven't received it already, while you wait for it to arrive in your mailbox, you can access the digital edition by clicking the cover to the left.
Want to Advertise in TEXPERS'
Membership Magazine? Here's How!
TEXPERS' quarterly publication Pension Observer offers its Advisor, Associate, Consultant, Actuarial, and Vendor members advertising packages to help you get the word out about your organizations. Click here to access our association's 2022 Rate Sheet.
Pension Outlook Sponsors
Click logos to learn more
about our newsletter supporters
About Us 
The Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS) is a statewide voluntary nonprofit association that provides education and legislative advisory services to the trustees, administrators, professional service providers and employee groups that manage the retirement money of police, firefighters, municipal and district employees in cities across Texas.