Week 8 at the General Assembly was another busy week. On Monday, February 27, 2017, ATRS had three (3) bills up for consideration, SB194 (Survivor Benefits), SB203 (Early Separation Incentive), and HB1365 (Settlement Agreements). All three (3) bills received a "DO PASS" out of Committee. All three (3) have now passed the chamber of introduction and are currently on the calendar of the other chamber for final consideration.

ATRS actuaries and the Retirement Committee actuaries continue to diligently work on cost studies for legislation. ATRS continues to negotiate amendments and details on the remaining 12 ATRS package bills that remain in the Joint Retirement Committee. At this time, 5 package bills are law after having completed the legislative process.

Below is the list of hard working legislators who are carrying the 20 bill package of the ATRS Board on behalf of ATRS members. Some members have mistakenly thought that the bills were attacking ATRS. In reality, the bills are actually designed to help ATRS navigate any future stormy financial markets and actuarial changes with the ability to restore any adjustments

Senator Ronald Caldwell
Representative Bruce Coleman
Senator Eddie Cheatham
Representative Gary Deffenbaugh
Senator John Cooper
Representative John Maddox
Senator Bart Hester
Representative Johnny Rye
Senator Jeremy Hutchinson
Senator Bill Sample
Senator Bruce Maloch

Remember the ATRS website allows members to have direct access to specific member account information.  Now approximately 9,700 members have direct account access to individualized account information.  Here is the link to the instructions to sign up: https://www.artrs.gov/welcome.

You can also sign up to obtain these executive director updates through your private email address.  Updates are made throughout the year such as at retirement season and other times when information needs to be shared.  Now, over 14,400 people have signed up to receive this executive director by direct email delivery.  You can find the link to sign up for email delivery to these updates here: https://www.artrs.gov/login.  It is always a great pleasure for ATRS staff to learn of more ways to provide information to ATRS members, employers, beneficiaries, government officials, and the public.  The ATRS Board is committed to providing a system that is member friendly and transparent. 

You can also get helpful ATRS information on the ATRS Facebook page under the name of Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.  Over 3,300 Facebook users get updates via the ATRS Facebook page.  Go to the Facebook page and "like" ATRS to get daily updates.  I try to go to the Facebook page every day to post information and answer member questions about ATRS.  In addition, if you use Twitter, you can join over 800 others by following events at ATRS and issues of interest on the ATRS Twitter page.  Remember that ATRS is here to serve you! If you have questions, email me or call.

Respectfully,

George Hopkins

(501) 682-1820 Office
(501) 318-5998 Cell
georgeh@artrs.gov

 Click on the following document for more information:

1. Session Update

2. Bill Summary