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.