The legislature must prioritize Texas’ public safety personnel this session

(Texas State Troopers Association) – Texans have always proudly supported law enforcement, but our state’s public safety resources are stretched thin and in many ways getting thinner. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and employees are seriously understaffed, underpaid and overworked in the field and in the office. Retirees who spent a career keeping us all safe are struggling to make ends meet.How did it come to this, and what do we do about it?The Texas State Troopers Association has been fighting for our members for 40 years, and this year, we’ve expanded our membership to include non-commissioned employees of DPS. TSTA exists to serve and to advocate for better lives and working conditions for all those protecting our state.To that end, the TSTA board of directors recently approved our legislative priorities for the 89th Session of the Texas Legislature that starts in January 2025. It is critical for the continued safety of Texans that the Texas House and Senate address these pressing issues and support a robust, well-funded Department of Public Safety.As we have done in the past, TSTA is again urging the Legislature to provide a Cost of Living Adjustment – known as COLA – or 13th Check...