Today (July 25) I am writing from a conference in Washington, DC where we are hearing from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Labor, the Department of Treasury and many other federal offices. 
On Capitol Hill
We will also have an opportunity to be on Capitol Hill to discuss numerous bills that are vital to the retirement industry. There are over 120 individual meetings scheduled with U.S. Senators and Representatives. We will be helping them understand the importance of retirement planning and what our industry does to support individuals all across the country in preparation for retirement.
Among the bills being discussed on Capitol Hill will be The Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act. This bill would allow for collective investment trusts (CITs) to be included in 403(b) plans. Although there are a couple of technical corrections that we have presented, we support this bill and look forward to 403(b) participants having the opportunity to take advantage of CITs in their retirement plans.
In the States
Throughout the month, we have spent time in Massachusetts where we are working with legislators to help them understand the landscape of currently proposed bills in the state.
There are a number of positive bills that would implement an auto-IRA program for small businesses in the state. This would close the coverage gap, and we look forward to helping this legislation move forward. An expansion of the Massachusetts CORE plan also has been proposed. We are working with state legislators to help them understand that the auto-IRA plan will support the CORE plan, and they would build upon one another.
We have also been working hard in Illinois and are expecting our bill to be signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the coming days. We are excited to provide this support for educators in Illinois, and look forward to continuing to work with the great state of Illinois to find more opportunities to provide retirement education and support to all educators throughout the state.
A Personal Note
On a personal note, my oldest daughter is getting married the 2nd week of August. I am so proud and excited for her and her fiancé. I am also looking forward to learning more about their plans for retirement savings.
Thank you for all you do. Keep up the great service that you provide to the employees and educators across the nation in Non-ERISA plans.
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