News and Information 

In Case You Missed It...Risk Pool Breakfast: Board of Trustees Vice-Chair Mary Dennis, Mayor of Live Oak, introduced Executive Director Jeff Thompson, who provided an update related to COVID-19 trends and more at the Pool's annual breakfast during the TML Annual Conference in Houston. Here’s a link to view a recording of this presentation. His update provided a great segue into the presentation of the Pool’s Partnership Award to the City Council of the City of DeSoto in recognition of city staff efforts to help the city’s seniors get vaccinated. 

TMLIRP is pleased to announce the appointment of our newest board member, Austin Bleess (takes place 4 on 11/1/2021), City Manager for Jersey Village.

Austin Bleess, City Manager of Jersey Village, was appointed City Manager in March 2017. Before coming to Jersey Village he served as City Manager in Caribou, Maine and City Administrator in Winnebago, MN. Mr. Bleess holds a Masters of Public Administration Degree from Walden University in Minneapolis and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Bethel University in St. Paul.

New Episode: Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast

Listen to Episode 10a Part 1: Workers' Compensation: Taking Care of Your Employees, the tenth episode in the TML Risk Pool’s STP Series.

The TML Risk Pool provides workers’ compensation coverage for more than 200,000 local government employees, and receives around 10,000 claims per year. The Workers’ Compensation Department is the largest of all the Pool’s departments, largely because the workers compensation process is highly-regulated by the Workers’ Compensation Division of the Texas Department of Insurance. In this episode, you’ll hear from key Pool staff about the process and how it’s administered, most importantly how we partner with Members to help guide them through the complex process.

Claims email address: To ensure prompt handling of liability and property claims, please send new claims to claims@tmlirp.org and any additional information on claims that have already been submitted to ALPmail@TMLIRP.org.

It’s the last week of Cyber Security Awareness Month – but don’t stop thinking about cyber awareness after this week!

This is the final week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but you should always try to do your part and #BeCyberSmart. What we do today can affect the future of personal, consumer, and business cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is increasingly becoming more of a consideration in how we work, learn, and play. Cybersecurity is a year-round effort and should be one of our first considerations when we create or buy new devices and connected services. Join the conversation about Cybersecurity Awareness Month by using the #BeCyberSmart hashtag. For more information on the Pool's cyber resources, visit www.tmlirp.org and click on the risk management tab.

Upcoming Loss Prevention Training

Click here to view a listing of our upcoming programs scheduled through the end of 2021. These programs are provided at no additional costs to Members. Please refer to our Events Calendar for specific information related to registering for these programs.

Did you get your 2022 TMLIRP calendar at the annual conference?

If not, don't worry – calendars will be mailed to all members in the coming weeks. If you would like additional calendars, please contact Janet Mata at jmata@tmlirp.org or contact your Member Services Manager.

Read our latest posts on the TMLIRP blog

Texas Legislature - Third Called Session Ends

Late Monday night, the House and Senate adjourned sine die concluding the third-called special session. The legislature passed several bills on the governor’s call including new redistricting maps for the Texas Senate, the Texas House of Representatives, the United States House of Representatives, and the State Board of Education.  

The legislature approved 3S.B.8 which appropriates the state’s federal COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. A significant portion, $7.2 billion, is allocated to the state’s unemployment compensation fund and over $500 million is dedicated to broadband infrastructure. In a last-minute effort to provide tax relief to Texans, the legislature passed 3S.J.R. 2 increasing the homestead exemption on school district property taxes from $25,000 to $40,000. The constitutional amendment will go to voters in May 2022. City-related bills that passed during the third-called special session can be found in “City-Related Bills Passed” article, below.

Late items added to the call – a prohibition on COVID-19 vaccine mandates and increased penalties for illegal voting – did not make it through the process. It is important to note that while legislation prohibiting vaccine mandates stalled in the legislature, the governor’s Executive Order No. GA-40, which provides that no entity can compel an individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, remains in effect.

Member Spotlight

The TMLIRP Partnership Award was proudly presented to the City of DeSoto, Texas on October 7, 2021 for exhibiting exemplary service to the community, strengthening the bond between Risk Pool partners and espousing the core values of integrity, public service, fiscal responsibility and operational excellence. 

The City’s staff went above and beyond this year to help elderly and other residents navigate the COVID-19 vaccination process. These contributions align with the Pool’s Core Values of Integrity, Public Service, Fiscal Responsibility, and Operational Excellence. Click here to read more about the award. 

Congratulations, City of DeSoto!

Service In Focus

E-Risk Hub

Available through the Pool’s website, the eRisk Hub is an effective tool to help combat cyber losses. It provides resources to help Members better understand their exposures, establish a response plan, and minimize the effects of a breach. It has many features, including an incident roadmap, cyber blogs, white papers, and news stories, and risk manager tools such as self-assessments and state breach notification laws. Click here to learn how to access eRiskHub's services and resources.