This legislative session, Oklahoma public employees and retirees faced a familiar threat: proposals to skip or redirect payments intended for the Teachers’ Retirement System and other public retirement systems to fund unrelated priorities.
They had seen this playbook before and knew the cost.
The last time Oklahoma redirected retirement funding was in 1982, and it took years—specifically, 43—for the system to recover—years of lost progress and compounding interest that public employees and retirees could not afford to repeat.
So they pushed back.
Problems in the Sooner State began in late February when Senate leaders proposed redirecting $254 million intended for the state’s Teachers’ Retirement System to fund a broader education package that includes an expansion of the state’s private school voucher program, known as the Parental Choice Tax Credit.
In response, Keep Oklahoma’s Promises (KOP), along with the National Public Pension Coalition, and supporters across the state, mobilized to protect dedicated pension funding and remind lawmakers of a simple truth: retirement dollars belong to the workers and retirees who earned them. Pension funds should not be used as a temporary budget fix.
Through a statewide letter-writing campaign, Oklahoma advocates sent more than 900 emails to lawmakers urging them to protect TRS and other public retirement systems, and the Legislature listened.
After early proposals threatened to cap or redirect retirement funding, lawmakers ultimately chose a more responsible path. Instead of weakening Oklahoma’s pension systems, they agreed to properly fund TRS, raise teacher salaries by $2,000, and provide cost-of-living adjustments for tens of thousands of retirees across various systems, including teachers, police officers, firefighters, judges, and other public employees.
The final outcome protected dedicated TRS funding, supported long-term pension stability, and delivered meaningful relief to retirees who have waited years for support.
For Oklahoma’s teachers, firefighters, police officers, public employees, and retirees, this was more than a policy win. It was a promise kept.
In a press release, Keep Oklahoma’s Promises applauded the final approval of key retirement measures, describing the outcome as a balanced approach that protects long-term system stability while addressing the needs of retirees who have waited the longest for adjustments.
“Strong pension systems and supporting retirees are not competing priorities—they go hand in hand,” said Debra Wojtek, Executive Director of Keep Oklahoma’s Promises. “This session reflects a thoughtful approach to both.”
The measures approved in this session include maintaining dedicated Teacher Retirement System (TRS) revenue, which is crucial for the system’s ongoing progress toward full funding.
The new laws also provide targeted support for “Tweeners,” the group of firefighters and police who retired between May 26, 1983, and November 1, 1989, who did not qualify for the automatic benefit adjustments of their predecessors, and were not eligible for the improvements made for their successors. Because of this loophole, Tweeners’ pension checks lost over 50% buying power over time. Legislators heard the call to protect this vulnerable, aging population, whose members largely fall in the 80-90 age range. They issued emergency $25,000 stipends to each of the remaining retirees to provide immediate relief. For many retirees, the COLA is especially meaningful. State employees in Oklahoma have not received an across-the-board COLA since 2020, even as the cost of groceries, housing, health care, and other basic needs has continued to rise.
“These were targeted, responsible decisions that reflect a clear understanding of both fiscal discipline and retiree needs,” Wojtek said.
This legislative victory was not the only win for Oklahoma public employees and retirees this spring.
In April, the Oklahoma Supreme Court also delivered an important ruling protecting the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System. The Court found that the Energy Discrimination Elimination Act could not be applied to OPERS because retirement system funds must be used for the exclusive benefit of members and beneficiaries.
The ruling reinforced what public employees and retirees have said all along: pension funds are not political tools. They are earned benefits, and they must be managed in the best interests of the workers and retirees who depend on them.
Together, these victories send a clear message. Oklahoma’s public retirement systems exist to serve Oklahoma’s public workers, not to be pulled into short-term political fights or used to fund unrelated priorities.
KOP also recognized the lawmakers and partners who helped make this outcome possible.
“This outcome reflects leadership across both chambers and a shared commitment to getting these policies right,” Wojtek said. “We are grateful to those who worked to move these efforts forward.”
Public employees in Oklahoma have dedicated their careers to serving their communities. They make a significant impact on students, respond effectively to emergencies, maintain essential public services, protect neighborhoods, and support families across the state.
This session, public employees, retirees, and advocates made sure Oklahoma kept its promises.