HBA-SEB H.B. 2437 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2437 By: Uher Pensions and Investments 3/23/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, when a peace officer who is a member of the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) retires because of a disability incurred in the line of duty, the officer retires with an annuity of 50 percent to 100 percent of the officer's monthly compensation, depending on the officer's tenure with the state. Under current law, the annuity is not adjusted for cost of living or salary increases. H.B. 2437 makes peace officers who are disabled in the line of duty eligible to receive an annuity equal to 100 percent of the monthly compensation being paid to an officer in the same classification as the disabled officer, as adjusted from time to time until the officer reaches age 55, regardless of the amount of service credited to the disabled officer. 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 814.207, Government Code, to provide that a disability retirement annuity under this section (Disability Retirement Benefits for Certain Peace Officers) is 100 percent of the monthly compensation being paid to an officer in the same classification as the officer, as adjusted from time to time until the retired officer reaches age 55, regardless of the amount of service credited to the officer in the employee class of the Employees Retirement System of Texas. Redesignates Subsection (d) to (c). Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.