(AUSTIN, TX) – The Texas State Troopers Association (TSTA) applauds the Texas House for passing House Bill 886 on Second Reading, which provides a one-time supplemental payment of up to $2,000 to eligible retirees in the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). After one final House vote, it will move to the Senate.

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This legislation brings some much-needed relief to retired state employees, including many TSTA members who dedicated their careers to protecting and serving the people of Texas.

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“We’re deeply grateful to Representative Cody Vasut and the bill’s supporters for recognizing the financial strain faced by retirees,” said Rohnnie Shaw, Executive Director of TSTA. “This supplemental payment is a meaningful step, and our members appreciate the House’s commitment to showing that their service still matters.”

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TSTA remains committed to advocating for a permanent, ongoing cost-of-living adjustment. State retirees have gone more than two decades without a real COLA — despite rising living costs and the increasing difficulty of making fixed retirement incomes stretch.

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“HB 886 is progress. We celebrate it, and we urge the Senate to pass it,” Shaw continued. “But it must be the beginning — not the end — of a serious, sustained conversation about retirement security for those who served Texas with honor.”

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(Round Rock, TX) – The Texas State Troopers Association (TSTA) is pleased to announce that the application period for the 2025 TSTA Scholarship Program has opened and will run through May 30, 2025.

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This year, TSTA will award ten scholarships of $500 each to deserving students pursuing higher education. The scholarship program is open to students entering or currently enrolled in an accredited college. Applicants must be sponsored by a TSTA member to be eligible.

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Application Requirements:

• Applicants must be entering or currently enrolled in an accredited college.
• A letter from the applicant’s TSTA member-sponsor, which may include a parent.
• College transcripts for applicants already enrolled or high school transcripts for incoming college freshmen.
• A description of applicant’s participation in academic, honorary, civic, or extracurricular activities in college or in high school for incoming freshmen.
• An essay about the applicant's relationship with their TSTA member-sponsor, current education goals, and future aspirations in their subject/training area.
• Two to three letters of recommendation from the past year written by high school or college faculty, employers, or other appropriate references unrelated to the applicant.

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“We are proud to support the educational goals of students in our TSTA family,” said Rohnnie Shaw, Executive Director of TSTA. “Investing in education is investing in the future, and we are honored to help these young men and women pursue their dreams.”

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The application is available for download from www.texasstatetroopers.org/scholarship.

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Any employee of the Department of Public Safety who is not yet a member but is interested in joining TSTA can visit www.texasstatetroopers.org or contact TSTA’s office at (512) 450-1814 with questions.

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Completed applications and supporting documents must be submitted by May 30, 2025, via mail to TSTA attn: Scholarship Applications, 2261 Gattis School Rd., Ste 250, Round Rock, TX 78664, or by email to JoAnne@texasstatetroopers.org.

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The following opinion piece was written by Rohnnie Shaw, Executive Director of the Texas State Troopers Association and first published in the Houston Chronicle.

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"Every day, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers put their lives on the line to protect our communities.

"Nowhere is this more evident than along the Texas-Mexico border, where Texas and federal officials have warned of escalating cartel violence, and where human trafficking and the relentless flow of drugs continue.

"It’s a critical job and we must ensure we have the funding to do it well."

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