After each legislative session, the Texas Municipal League’s legal staff prepares the “final wrap up” edition of the Legislative Update newsletter. The task is monumental. Probably no other advocacy organization goes to the same lengths to quickly and accurately prepare summaries of every city-related bill that passed, and their final version is 90 pages. Risk Pool staff has taken the liberty of preparing this abbreviated version that includes bills of most interest to TML Risk Pool Members. You can read the actual bill text by clicking on the link, clicking on the “text” tab on that site, and viewing the “enrolled” version of a bill. Special thanks to all at TML for their efforts on behalf of Texas cities and the Pool.
Mandatory Cybersecurity Training Due August 31
Texas Government Code Section 2054.5191 mandates cybersecurity training for local government employees, elected officials, and appointed officials who have access to a local government computer system or database and use a computer to perform at least 25 percent of their duties. Get all the details, including free training options, on the Pool’s Cybersecurity Training Page. You can even satisfy the requirement by listening to Episode 9d of the “Local Officials:Stronger, Together Podcast!” Contact Ryan Burns — the Pool’s Cyber Risk Services Manager — at rburns@tmlirp.org or 512-491-3427 with any cyber-related questions.
STP Podcast Episode 42: “2025–2026 Rerates: An Exercise in Shared Purpose, Accountability, Equitable Responsibility, and Long-Term Sustainability”
In this special report, you’ll hear from Jeff Thompson (Risk Pool Executive Director) as he explains the partnership that is the TML Risk Pool and the major rate drivers that affect your 2025–2026 rerates.
Latest STP Podcast – Episode 43: “The Pool’s Flood Coverage”
Our hearts are with those affected by the recent summer 2025 flooding in Texas, and the TML Risk Pool stands ready to assist its Members with Flood Coverage. Whether your entity has the coverage or not, you should know generally what it covers, for how much, and other specifics. In this episode, Scott interviews Paula Marr-Ludwig, who has been with the Pool for 37 years and managed the Pool’s underwriting department for 11 of those, about the ins-and-outs of the Pool’s Flood Coverage.
Service in Focus: Police (and Fire) Training Safety Officer Program
Did you know the TML Risk Pool employs two law enforcement outreach consultants to help your police department with all things risk management? The LEOCs promote excellence in law enforcement in several ways, including accountability and continuous improvement — in areas such as claims/losses, policy review, early intervention strategies to modify behaviors, and much more — to hopefully stop incidents and claims before they arise.
The Training Safety Officer Program is a new component of the LEOCs’ no-cost training designed to show law enforcement agencies how to systematically incorporate a safety awareness and monitoring program into their hands-on training programs. The specific goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of employee injuries experienced during these types of training activities. Police chiefs, supervisors, training officers, and line officers can benefit from attending. City managers are also encouraged to attend.
Member Spotlight: City of Granbury Highlights Risk Pool T.I.P.S. Sheet in Staff Newsletter
The City of Granbury recently highlighted the Risk Pool’s Fire Extinguisher Safety T.I.P.S. (English and Spanish) sheet! The sheet is just one of many developed by the Risk Pool’s Loss Prevention Department. The T.I.P.S. (Together Improving Processes and Safety) Sheet Program is designed to provide a template for Members’ staff to have those discussions and show that the Member has a culture of safety in the workplace.
Studies have shown that frequent workplace safety discussions save lives, prevent injury, and protect property. The discussions should be short, succinct, and simple to understand. Loss prevention staff regularly prepares the sheets to share with Members by email through their fund contact and through the Pool’s Safety@Your Finger T.I.P.S. Program, which send SMS texts right to a cellphone. They are also archived here by topic. We ask the fund contact to forward the sheet to their appropriate employees for review.
Supervisors can follow this easy formula for a short meeting before the day’s work commences:
1. Talk about upcoming work projects. 2. Decide how to prevent or mitigate potential safety issues. 3. Understand the proper tools and equipment for the job.
A minimum of three minutes should be dedicated to talk about activities, hazards, safe work practices, and procedures for the work to be performed. Even that miniscule time investment has been shown to save lives and prevent injuries. Check out a T.I.P.S. sheet today to start getting safer!
R.O.A.D. Ready Program Featured in National Publication
R.O.A.D. Ready is a Risk Pool program designed to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect property by raising Member awareness of dangers on and near roadways. (The acronym stands for Recognize the Hazards; Observe People, Processes, and Equipment; Assess the Risk Level; and Determine the Safest Course of Action.)
The program recently received national attention through publication in the June 2025 edition of Professional Safety, the American Society of Safety Professionals’ flagship monthly journal, which covers the latest safety management and injury prevention trends. The article, written by Risk Pool Safety and Loss Control Consultants Kolby Burkhart and Manny Trejo, is titled “Improving Roadways Safety: A Practical Framework to Protect Frontline Workers.”
Check out the article here and make sure your city is R.O.A.D. Ready!
