While National Sunshine Week celebrates access to public information the second week in March, providing transparency and public records is a daily occasion at CalPERS — and is built into our Core Values.
“Open, accurate and timely communication has been the cornerstone of the work we do with our members, employers, stakeholders and the public,” said Communications & Stakeholder Relations Deputy Brad Pacheco. “To this end, we make every effort to provide easy-to-access online articles, resources and webcasts, while diligently responding to public information requests. Shining light on the work we do to serve those who serve California is at the heart of CalPERS.”
As the nation’s largest public pension fund, we serve more than 2 million members (represented by 2,888 employers) and are committed to providing promised pension benefits. Below are some of the ways we support your right to know more about us.
Fulfilling Public Records Act Requests
The California Public Records Act, passed by the California Legislature in 1968, requires that government agency records be disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there are privacy and/or public safety exemptions which would prevent doing so.
CalPERS received 407 Public Records Act (PRA) requests and closed out 394 in 2023. We have a dedicated team that handles responding to these requests.
Creating Clear Communication
Information is as much a currency as it’s ever been, and as the Information Age progresses and expands, so does the proliferation of opinions and misinformation. One of our Guiding Principles is providing meaningful information and education to all CalPERS constituents in a timely manner. We do this in several ways:
- PERSpective — Our virtual newsletter hosts an array of articles for active members (those still working) and retirees. We strive to publish original content to better inform and empower you every week.
- YouTube — We all learn in different ways, and our video channel is another way to digest information on CalPERS issues, including retirement, pensions, and health care, as well as training and educational events.
- Social Media — You can find us posting information that impacts members, employers, and stakeholders on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Broadcasting Board Meetings
Attending our monthly CalPERS Board of Administration meetings in person is no longer the only option, as they’re viewable through a live webcast. You can also view archives of past board meetings on our YouTube channel.
A new feature of YouTube is its “chapters” system that allows users to more easily pinpoint sessions from our board meetings, including sub-committees.
Dispensing the Details
Did you know most CalPERS retirees (more than 80%) live in California, and the states next in line include Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas, respectively? Or that our Member Contact Center received and responded to more than 1.5 million phone calls and emails in fiscal year 2022-23?
We provide the latest facts annually on our funded status, including statistics and infographics about CalPERS programs including:
- Finances (PDF)
- Funding (PDF)
- Investments (PDF)
- Retirement Plan Members (PDF)
- Health Benefits Program (PDF)
- CalPERS Organization (PDF)
- State Legislation (PDF)
Monitoring Pending Legislation
We monitor legislation to protect the best interests of our members and employers. Here is state and federal legislation we are currently monitoring.
Ensuring Board Member and Staff Accountability
To ensure our business is conducted in an open, transparent, and impartial way, we provide information related to economic interests, travel, and education for board members and key executive team members on our website.