HBA-DMD H.B. 1214 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1214 By: Yarbrough Pensions & Investments 2/25/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, members of the Fire Fighters Pension System contribute and receive retirement benefits based on the salary level of the second highest classified position in the fire department personnel classification schedule. Some believe that members who skip classification levels by virtue of appointment to a higher position, rather than advancing solely through competitive examination, may receive a windfall from the system. H.B. 1214 bases the amount of retirement benefits that a member receives on the highest rank that the member has attained by civil service examination within the salary schedule of the fire department. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 1268, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997 (Article 6243e.2(1), V.T.C.S.), by adding Section 4A, as follows: Section 4A. CONTRIBUTIONS OF AND BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS. (a) Requires a member who is appointed fire chief to make contributions to the retirement fund (fund), after September 1, 1999, in an amount equal to 7.7 percent of the highest salary received by the member while serving in a position obtained as a result of a competitive examination, notwithstanding Section 13 (Membership and Contributions) of this Act. (b) Requires the fund, for months of participation after September 1, 1999, relating to service in the position of fire chief, to compute a member's average monthly salary as equaling one thirty-sixth of the member's salary as a fire fighter for the member's highest 78 biweekly pay periods during the member's service in fire fighter positions obtained as a result of competitive examination, notwithstanding Section 4 (Service Pension Benefits) of this Act. SECTION 2.Effective date: June 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause.