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.