AUSTIN – The Texas House Republican Caucus (THRC) today met with retired teachers at the state capitol to discuss the 13th check legislation. The average retired teacher in Texas makes $34,475 per year and more than half of Texas’ 430,000 retired teachers have never seen an increase in their retirement payment.
Several of the members of the THRC delivered remarks, including Dr. Glenn Rogers and Dr. Greg Bonnen, and expressed their desire to pass legislation providing teacher retirees with financial relief as soon as House Democrats return to Texas. Upon completion of their remarks, retired teachers then shared their experiences as former public educators dealing with rising healthcare costs.
Yesterday, by a bipartisan vote of 22-0, the Texas Senate passed legislation to provide a 13th check to all retired teachers in Texas. Unfortunately, due to the Texas House Democrats walking off the job, the Texas House of Representatives is unable to take up this legislation. THRC Chairman, Jim Murphy released the following statement:
“It is unconscionable that Texas Democrats have chosen to abandon their Constitutional duty to represent their constituents in favor of an all-expenses-paid vacation to Washington. We have a unique opportunity to provide teachers with a much-needed pay boost, but House Democrats are nowhere to be found. I encourage my Democrat colleagues to fulfill their job responsibilities and return to work immediately.”