Advocacy
NCPERS has a proven track record of successful advocacy work, representing the interests of our members and ensuring their voices are heard.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, we work diligently to keep our members informed of the latest state and federal policy developments that may impact their retirement systems.
Recent highlights from our advocacy efforts include:
- NCPERS successfully lobbied Congress to approve the Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety (HELPS) Retirees Act. This act allowed a yearly pretax distribution of up to $3,000 from a governmental DB, 403(b), or 457(b) plan to retired public safety officers for use toward healthcare or long-term care insurance, provided the premium payments were made directly by the governmental retirement system to the provider of the insurance. More recently, NCPERS advocated to allow eligible taxpayers to directly claim the HELPS tax benefit. This modification was included in SECURE 2.0.
- Retirement security is a dire issue that affects us all, and NCPERS has been a long-time advocate for the secure choice pension model. After publishing two whitepapers outlining the concept, the first state-sponsored retirement plan for private sector worker opened in 2017. As of November 2025, there are 16 Secure Choice-inspired state savings programs open with combined assets of more than $2.69 billion.
Pension Advocacy in Action
Each year, NCPERS Legislative Forum & Policy Day brings the public pension community to Washington, DC to learn, network, and help shape policy discussions on Capitol Hill. During the Legislative Forum, you'll gain valuable insights into the latest state and Federal policy developments shaping the retirement landscape, engage in thought-provoking conversations with peers from across the country, and improve your advocacy skills.
Then, head to the Hill for Policy Day to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones with policymakers. It's a powerful opportunity to be an effective advocate for your plan and ensure our industry's voice is heard in Washington. It's Pension Advocacy in Action.
Member-Only Resources
- State-Level Pension Legislation Tracking Report: As a member benefit, NCPERS tracks state-level legislation that impacts pension systems. The bills being tracked focus on a range of issues including changes to plan design, eligibility, or administration, funding of pension systems, and statewide retirement savings programs. View the report (login required).
- Pension Fund Government Affairs/Advocacy Roundtable: Connect virtually with fellow pension fund staff responsible for advocacy efforts on this member-only roundtable. Each month, this group meets via Zoom to ask questions, share ideas, and crowdsource solutions. Participation is free for NCPERS members. Sign up here to join.
- Public Pension Defense Toolkit: The Public Pension Defense Toolkit, created in partnership with the National Public Pension Coalition, serves as a template for what local or regional media outreach efforts built to support retirement security for all public employees should contain. You'll find legislative action checklists, case studies, and more. Download the toolkit (login required).
- Legislative & Regulatory Issues Book: Each year, NCPERS produces the Legislative & Regulatory Issues Book as a complimentary, member-only resource. This book (PDF) provides in-depth insights into critical legislative and regulatory issues impacting public pensions, along with NCPERS' positions on these matters. Access now (login required).
- View Advocacy Activities: Keep up-to-date with our latest advocacy activities and resources. Learn more (login required).
Pension News: Federal Policy Developments to Watch
We track the latest policy developments impacting the public sector retirement industry to ensure you can easily stay informed in order to effectively advocate on behalf of the more than 20 million state and local public servants in our community.
Staying informed about federal developments is essential. These decisions, no matter the party in power, often have significant ripple effects on state and local budgets and, ultimately, on public pensions.
Find out what's going on Washington with this free resource from NCPERS.