HBA-SEB, RAR H.B. 188 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 188
By: Longoria
Pensions and Investments
3/29/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, county court-at-law judges in a few of the larger counties in
Texas (Bexar, Harris, Dallas, and Travis) are eligible to retire and
receive a service annuity after eight years of service, while a member of
either the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or Plan Two (plans)
becomes eligible to retire after ten years of service if the member is at
least 65 years old.  The plans allow membership by judges, justices, and
commissioners of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, courts
of appeals, district courts, and commissions  to one of those courts.  H.B.
188 provides that a member participating in one of the plans is eligible to
retire after eight years of service if the member is at least 65 years of
age, after 18 years of service, or when the sum of the member's age and
service credit equals at least 75 years.      

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 Section 834.101, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 834.101.  ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT ANNUITY.  Redefines the
eligibility criteria for retirement from the Judicial Retirement System of
Texas under Plan One and for the receipt of a base service retirement
annuity.  Provides that a member is eligible if eight, rather than 10,
years of service are credited and the member is at least 65 years old.
Deletes the requirement that such a member hold a current judicial office.
Deletes the provision that provides eligibility to a member at least 65
years old with at least 12 years of credited service regardless of holding
a current judicial office.  Provides that a member is eligible if 18,
rather than 20, years of service are credited or the sum of the member's
age and service credit equals or exceeds the number 75.  Makes conforming
and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 839.101, Government Code, to make conforming
changes with respect to the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two. 

 SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.