The board must adopt an outreach plan, and the retirement system must carry out several communication, counseling, reporting, training, contact-maintenance, and review tasks.
Sec. 825.601. OUTREACH PLAN. (a) The board of trustees shall develop and adopt an outreach plan designed to assist each member of the system, and as appropriate the members' employers, in effectively planning for the member's retirement. The plan must require the retirement system to: (1) identify and implement ways to improve communication between the system and the system's members and employers; (2) update and develop outreach materials and other information distributed by the system, including handbooks, brochures, presentations, and handouts, in a manner that complies with Section 802.106(g); (3) update and develop policies governing retirement benefits counseling provided to members by the system, including policies that: (A) subject to Section 825.602, ensure the system makes group and individual member retirement benefits counseling available throughout the state; and (B) clarify that the retirement system does not provide financial or legal advice; (4) provide at least annually to each member of the system, regardless of whether the member is vested in the system, an estimate of the member's retirement benefits; (5) enhance employer training and establish an Internet portal designed to assist employers to: (A) satisfy applicable reporting requirements; (B) provide general information to individual members on: (i) employment after retirement; (ii) enrollment in health insurance benefit plans; and (iii) retirement benefits and retirement planning; and (C) facilitate other communications or exchanges involving members and the retirement system; and (6) design and implement methods for maintaining up-to-date contact information for members and beneficiaries based on best practices for outreach. (b) In developing the outreach plan, the board of trustees shall solicit input through surveys or other means from members of the system, employers, and other stakeholders, including appropriate advisory groups. (c) Once every five years, the retirement system shall review and update the outreach plan adopted under this section. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1230 (H.B. 2427), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 141 (H.B. 1585), Sec. 14, eff. May 26, 2021.