Public pension trustees and administrators play a vital role in safeguarding retirement assets—and proxy voting is one of the most powerful tools they have to do it. With the 2025 proxy season underway, the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) is offering timely guidance to help public pension systems navigate the year’s most critical shareholder votes.

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market movements is crucial for public pension funds, institutional investors, and retirement professionals. This week's developments highlight a mix of market uncertainty, global policy challenges, and opportunities for professional education. Below, we break down key stories shaping the landscape, providing The Story and Why It Matters to help you navigate these changes.

On March 27, the U.S. Census Bureau will release the latest summary report and data tables from the 2024 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll—a vital dataset for understanding employment trends across state and local governments, including the gross monthly payroll for March 2024.

The fight over control of the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System escalated this week after the Texas Senate Finance Committee advanced Senate Bill 1527, a measure from Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, that would give the City of Dallas greater authority over the pension fund's recovery plan. Just one day later, Mayor Eric Johnson moved to appoint two new board members to the pension system—Rob Walters, a retired antitrust lawyer and former pension board member, and David Kelly, a financial expert with experience chairing the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. They would replace Board Chair Nick Merrick, recently appointed ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Mark Malveaux, who resigned due to increased work commitments.

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market developments is essential for those managing Texas public employee retirement systems. This week's roundup features key updates on legislative hearings, national pension trends, investment insights, upcoming events, and research impacting public pensions. Each entry includes The Story and Why It Matters to help trustees, administrators, and stakeholders stay informed and make strategic decisions.

The TEXPERS 2025 Annual Conference, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors, is shaping up to be one of our most dynamic gatherings yet! From March 29 to April 2, public pension trustees, administrators, investment professionals, and policymakers from across Texas and beyond will come together at the Renaissance Austin Hotel for an unparalleled experience of education, networking, and strategic discussions.

A new legislative proposal in Texas could significantly impact public employees and their pension benefits. House Bill 4938, filed by Rep. Pat Curry (R-Waco), aims to dissolve the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and redistribute its functions across three other state agencies.

Texas is one step closer to becoming the first in the U.S. to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, a tool the bill's authors claim is to enhance financial resilience, hedge against economic instability, and diversify state assets by leveraging Bitcoin's potential for long-term value appreciation and investment returns.

March 14, 2025, marks the 60th day of the 89th Legislative Session in Texas, which serves as the final deadline for filing bills and joint resolutions, except for local bills, emergency appropriations, or bills declared an emergency by the state's governor. As of the filing deadline, preliminary data from Texas Legislature Online (TLO) indicates that this session has seen a record-breaking number of bills filed compared to previous sessions:

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market movements is crucial for public pension funds, institutional investors, and retirement professionals. This week’s Pensions Outlook covers key legislative updates, including a Texas House committee hearing and the latest TEXPERS 89th TxLege Bill Tracker, along with new Census data on metro growth and a look at the private lending boom reshaping investment strategies. We also explore managing emotions in high-stakes environments and highlight must-attend industry events, including the TEXPERS 2025 Annual Conference with training and networking opportunities for pension leaders.

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market movements is crucial for public pension funds, institutional investors, and retirement professionals. This week's developments highlight a mix of economic optimism, policy initiatives, and investment challenges. Below, we break down key stories shaping the landscape, providing The Story and Why It Matters to help you navigate these changes.

Staying connected to the communities they serve is vital for those who oversee the retirement benefits of Texas' public employees, including the brave men and women in law enforcement. On April 26, 2025, the Texas Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Texas Peace Officers' Memorial on the Capitol Grounds in Austin, Texas, offering an opportunity to pay tribute to the fallen officers who dedicated their lives to protecting the public.

The Social Security Administration announced it will begin issuing retroactive payments and increased monthly benefits to more than 3.2 million public sector workers impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset following the repeal of both provisions.

The TEXPERS 2025 Annual Conference is poised to be a landmark event for public employee retirement system trustees, administrators, investment industry vendors, and professionals across Texas. Presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors and hosted from March 30 to April 2, 2025, this premier conference is your gateway to cutting-edge insights, robust networking, and dynamic learning experiences—all designed to propel your career and shape the future of our industry.

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market movements is crucial for public pension funds, institutional investors, and retirement professionals. This week's developments highlight a mix of economic optimism, policy initiatives, and investment challenges. Below, we break down key stories shaping the landscape, providing The Story and Why It Matters to help you navigate these changes.

In observance of President’s Day, the TEXPERS office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.

Nicholas A. Merrick, chairman of the Dallas Police and Fire Pension Fund (DPFP) Board of Trustees, has been nominated by Pres. Donald Trump as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

On Feb. 13, 2025, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced committee assignments for the 89th Legislature, a decision that will shape the direction of key financial and pension-related policies in the state. Among the most critical assignments for Texas public employee pension system stakeholders is the Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Committee (PIFS). This committee oversees legislation related to state and local retirement systems, financial institutions, and investment policies that impact pension funds.

The TEXPERS 2025 Annual Conference is just around the corner, and we can't wait to welcome you to Austin, Texas, from March 29 - April 2, 2025! This premier event is your opportunity to network, learn, and stay ahead of the latest trends in public employee pensions and investments.

The Pension Review Board has launched a new online continuing education course: “Texas Systems Reporting and Compliance.” This course is designed to help system administrators and trustees understand the agency's public pension oversight, reporting requirements, and compliance best practices—all from the convenience of an online platform.