HBA-SEB H.B. 1236 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1236
By: Naishtat
Pensions and Investments
2/23/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a local governing board of the Texas County and District
Retirement System (retirement system) is unable to grant military service
credit to a member of the retirement system for service in the Texas
National Guard or any of the reserve components of the United States armed
forces. Other retirees, such as federal civil service retirees, however,
may purchase credit in the retirement system.  The average monthly pension
of a military retiree ranges from $600 to $700 which, combined with other
benefits, may be insufficient to provide a comfortable retirement.  H.B.
1236 allows, but does not require, the local governing body of the
retirement system to grant service credit to a member for service in the
Texas National Guard or any of the reserve components of the United States
armed forces. 

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 Subchapter G, Chapter 843, Government Code, by adding
Section 843.6011, as follows: 

Sec. 843.6011.  EXPANDED CURRENT SERVICE FOR MILITARY DUTY.  (a) Authorizes
the governing body of a participating subdivision that has authorized the
establishment of credit for military service under Section 843.601 (Current
Service for Military Duty) to, by further order, authorize current service
credit for service as a member of the Texas National Guard or service in
any of the reserve components of the armed forces of the United States, or
for military service by a member of the Texas County and District
Retirement System who receives or is eligible to receive federal retirement
payments based on 20 or more years of active federal military duty or its
equivalent. 

(b)  Provides that authorized service as a member of the Texas National
Guard or any of the reserve components of the armed forces of the United
States is creditable at the rate of one month of service credit for each 12
months of military service. 

(c)  Authorizes credit under this section to be established in the manner
provided by Sections 843.601(e) and (f), subject to the limitations
provided by Sections 843.601(g) and (h). 

SECTION 2.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.