HBA-NRS.MPM H.B. 464 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 464
By: Longoria
Pensions & Investments
3/12/2001
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 if a member is at
least 65 years old. However, 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. House Bill 464 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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 464 amends the Government Code to modify eligibility
requirements for members of the Judicial Retirement System of Texas
(retirement system) receiving a base service retirement annuity or service
retirement annuity.  A member is eligible for either annuity if the member: 

 _is at least 65 years old, and has at least eight years, rather than 10
years, of service credited in the retirement system;  

 _has at least 18 years, rather than 20 years, of service credited in the
retirement system; or  

 _the sum of the member's age and service credit is equal to or exceeds the
number 75. 

The bill deletes the distinction that a member who is otherwise eligible to
receive an annuity currently hold a judicial office. 

Additionally, the bill reduces from 10 years to eight years the number of
years of service credit in the retirement system a member must have in
order to select a death benefit plan.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.