MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Dear Fund Members,

Serving on the HFRRF board is an opportunity for trustees to make a difference in the lives of Houston firefighters and their families and we take that seriously. Our mission to “provide a secure retirement benefit plan for our members” resonates deeply with all of us.

We fought long and hard against SB 2190 taking our legal battle all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. Unfortunately, on March 10th, the Supreme Court denied our petition for review. That marks the end of the road for this lawsuit, but our efforts to protect and strengthen your benefits will continue in other directions.

One effective strategy is through government relations - building relationships/friendships with our legislators. We have been busy in Austin, visiting the legislators, educating those recently elected, and identifying potential legislative champions who support our position. In fact, we are already seeing results. The HFRRF team is collaborating with our allies on HB 3340 which would create a 20-year DROP for all HFRRF members at no cost to the City. We have bipartisan support for HB 3340 and are hopeful this bill will make it to the governor’s desk. It’s a step in the right direction.

There are numerous other restoration battles that we will be waging in the coming years. My promise is that we will continue to stand up for our members, to restore and build pension security, for as long as it takes. You earned it and deserve nothing less.

Sincerely,

Brett Besselman
Chairman of the Board
Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund