Bill Text: TX HB1821 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to eligibility for membership and funding of benefits for certain law enforcement, custodial, and other peace officers.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-30 - Left pending in committee [HB1821 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB1821-Introduced.html

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84R6292 SGA-D
By: Alonzo H.B. No. 1821

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to eligibility for membership and funding of benefits for
certain law enforcement, custodial, and other peace officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 802.305(i)(2), Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "State-financed public retirement system" means
the Employees Retirement System of Texas, including the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund, or the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 803, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 803.2015 to read as follows:
Sec. 803.2015. COMBINED SERVICE CREDIT FOR CERTAIN PEACE
OFFICERS. (a) This section applies to a person who, on December
31, 2015:
(1) is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of
Texas, who:
(A) is identified under Section 825.515 as being
employed in a position as a peace officer; and
(B) elects to begin membership as a peace officer
participating in the Employees Retirement System law enforcement,
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund
beginning January 1, 2016; or
(2) is a member of the Employees Retirement System of
Texas who:
(A) is employed in a position as a law
enforcement, custodial, juvenile justice, or peace officer as those
terms are defined by Section 811.001; and
(B) elects to begin participation in the
Employees Retirement System law enforcement, custodial, and peace
officer supplemental retirement fund beginning January 1, 2016.
(b) For the purposes of this chapter, service credit earned
by a person described by Subsection (a) is considered service
credit earned in two retirement systems and is subject to Section
803.201. The membership on which combined service credit is based
is service credit accrued:
(1) before beginning participation in the Employees
Retirement System law enforcement, custodial, and peace officer
supplemental retirement fund; and
(2) after beginning participation in the Employees
Retirement System law enforcement, custodial, and peace officer
supplemental retirement fund.
SECTION 3. Section 811.001, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subdivisions (6) and (9) and adding Subdivisions (8-b) and
(12-b) to read as follows:
(6) "Combined retirement annuity" means the amount
payable on retirement for service credited as a member of the
employee class of membership plus any supplemental amount payable
from the law enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer
supplemental retirement fund.
(8-b) "Juvenile justice officer" means a member of the
retirement system who is employed by the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department and certified by that department as holding a position
as a juvenile correctional officer or other position the primary
duties of which include the custodial supervision of or other
close, regularly planned contact with youth in the custody of that
department.
(9) "Law enforcement officer" means a member of the
retirement system who:
(A) has been commissioned as a law enforcement
officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic
Beverage Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, the office
of the attorney general, or the office of inspector general at the
Texas Juvenile Justice Department; and
(B) is recognized as a commissioned law
enforcement officer by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
(12-b) "Peace officer" means:
(A) a person certified as being employed as a
peace officer under Section 815.505; or
(B) any other person employed as a peace officer
who is:
(i) not a custodial officer, juvenile
justice officer, or law enforcement officer for purposes of this
subtitle; and
(ii) a peace officer under Article 2.12,
Code of Criminal Procedure, employed or appointed by a department,
commission, board, agency, or institution of the state.
SECTION 4. Section 812.003, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
follows:
(b) An office or employment that is included in the coverage
of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, other than in a position
identified as a peace officer position under Section 825.515, the
Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One, or the Judicial
Retirement System of Texas Plan Two or, except as provided by
Section 9.01, Chapter 238 (S.B. 378), Acts of the 73rd Legislature,
Regular Session, 1993, is with a university system or institution
of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code,
is not a position with a department, commission, board, agency, or
institution of the state for purposes of this subtitle.
(b-1) Membership in the employee class includes any person
who is certified as being employed in a position as a peace officer
under Section 815.505.
SECTION 5. Subchapter F, Chapter 813, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 813.507 to read as follows:
Sec. 813.507. JUVENILE JUSTICE OFFICER SERVICE. (a) The
Texas Juvenile Justice Board by rule shall adopt standards for
determining eligibility for service credit as a juvenile justice
officer, based on the need to encourage early retirement of persons
whose duties are hazardous and require them to have routine contact
with youth in the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department
on a regular basis.
(b) The Texas Juvenile Justice Department shall determine a
person's eligibility to receive credit as a juvenile justice
officer. A determination by the department may not be appealed by
an employee but is subject to change by the retirement system.
SECTION 6. Section 814.107, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 814.107. SERVICE RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN
[PEACE] OFFICERS. (a) This section applies only to a member who
participates in the law enforcement, custodial, and peace officer
supplemental retirement fund.
(a-1) A member who has at least 20 years of service credit as
a law enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace
officer is eligible to retire regardless of age and receive a
standard service retirement annuity in an amount and to be funded as
provided by this section.
(b) The standard service retirement annuity payable for at
least 20 years of service credit as a law enforcement, juvenile
justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer is an amount computed on
the basis of the member's average monthly compensation for the 60
highest months of compensation in the employee class, times the sum
of the percentage factor used in the computation of a standard
service retirement annuity under Section 814.105 plus .5 percent.
(c) The standard combined service retirement annuity that
is payable under this section is based on retirement on or after the
attainment of the normal retirement age, which for purposes of this
section is the earlier of either the age of 57 or the age at which
the sum of the member's age and amount of service credit in the
employee class equals the number 80. The annuity of a law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer who
retires before reaching the age of 57 under any eligibility
criteria is actuarially reduced by five percent for each year of
difference between the member's age at retirement and 57. The
actuarial reduction described by this section is in addition to any
other actuarial reduction required by law.
(c-1) A law enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial,
or peace officer who retires before attaining the age of 50 is
entitled only to an annuity that is actuarially reduced from the
annuity available at the age of 50 to the law enforcement, juvenile
justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer whose service credit
annuity amount is based on the sum of the member's age and amount of
law enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer
service credit and employee class service credit, and is not
entitled to have the annuity recalculated at normal retirement age.
The standard or reduced annuity under this section is payable from
the trust fund established by Section 815.310 and the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund in a ratio determined by the retirement system.
(d) A member who retires under this section retires
simultaneously from the employee class of membership. Optional
retirement annuities provided by Section 814.108 are available to a
member eligible to receive a service retirement annuity under this
section, but the same optional plan and beneficiary must be
selected for the portion of the annuity payable from the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund and the portion payable from the trust fund
established by Section 815.310.
(e) The amount payable from the law enforcement, [and]
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund is
reducible by the amount paid from the trust fund established by
Section 815.310 for service as a law enforcement, juvenile justice,
[or] custodial, or peace officer. The total combined amount of an
annuity under this section may not be less than the authorized
benefit under Subsection (b) subtracted by any amount necessary
because of selection of an optional annuity, because of retirement
before the normal retirement age, or as provided by Subsection (f).
(f) The standard combined service retirement annuity
payable for at least 20 years of service credit as a law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer may
not exceed 100 percent of the average compensation computed under
Subsection (b).
(g) For purposes of this section, service as a law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer is
creditable as provided by rule of the board of trustees or on a
month-to-month basis, whichever is greater.
SECTION 7. The heading to Section 814.207, Government Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 814.207. DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN
[PEACE] OFFICERS.
SECTION 8. Section 814.207, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1) to
read as follows:
(a) This section applies only to a member who participates
in the law enforcement, custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund.
(a-1) An annuity payable for an occupational disability
resulting from a risk to which law enforcement, juvenile justice,
[or] custodial, or peace officers are exposed because of the nature
of their [law enforcement or custodial] duties is payable under the
same terms and conditions that apply to other occupational
disability retirement annuities under this subtitle, except that
the source and amount of the annuity are as provided by this
section.
(d) The portions of the annuity under this section payable
from the law enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer
supplemental retirement fund are the amount remaining after
deduction of any amount payable under Section 814.206, except the
portion of an amount that exceeds the minimum payments provided by
Section 814.206(b) and that is made for service other than as a law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer and
any amount by which an annuity is increased under Subsection (e).
SECTION 9. Section 814.305, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 814.305. ANNUITY FOR SURVIVOR OF LAW ENFORCEMENT,
JUVENILE JUSTICE, [OR] CUSTODIAL, OR PEACE OFFICER. (a) This
section applies only to a member who participates in the law
enforcement, custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement
fund.
(b) If a member who has at least 20 years of service credit
as a law enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace
officer dies, the amount of the death benefit annuity payable for
the member's service as a law enforcement, juvenile justice, [or]
custodial, or peace officer is an amount computed and funded as
provided by Section 814.107, including any applicable reduction
factors.
SECTION 10. Section 815.103(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) The board of trustees may authorize the executive
director to acquire, hold, manage, purchase, sell, assign, trade,
transfer, and dispose of any security, evidence of debt, or other
investment in which assets of the law enforcement, [and] custodial,
and peace officer supplemental retirement fund may be invested.
SECTION 11. Section 815.208(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) The board of trustees shall make payments from the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund for services rendered by the actuary for that fund
and approved by the board.
SECTION 12. Sections 815.301(a) and (b), Government Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(a) The board of trustees shall:
(1) invest the assets of the retirement system as a
single fund without distinction as to their source; and
(2) hold securities purchased with the assets
described by Subsection (a)(1) collectively for the proportionate
benefit of:
(A) all accounts in the trust fund that are
listed in Section 815.310(b); and
(B) the law enforcement, [and] custodial, and
peace officer supplemental retirement fund.
(b) The board of trustees may delegate its authority under
Subsection (a) to the executive director. The board of trustees or
the executive director may, under the standard of care provided by
Section 815.307, invest and reinvest any of the retirement system's
assets and may commingle assets of the trust fund and the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund with the assets of the Judicial Retirement System
of Texas Plan Two for investment purposes, as long as proportionate
ownership records are maintained and credited. Investments may
include home office facilities, including land, equipment, and
office building, used in administering the retirement system.
SECTION 13. Section 815.308(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) The amount of cash on hand may not exceed 10 percent of
the total amount in the funds of the retirement system on deposit
with the comptroller, excluding the assets of the law enforcement,
[and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund.
SECTION 14. Section 815.309, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 815.309. CREDITING SYSTEM ASSETS. All assets of the
retirement system, except assets of the law enforcement, [and]
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund, shall be
credited to the trust fund established by Section 815.310.
SECTION 15. The heading to Section 815.317, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 815.317. LAW ENFORCEMENT, [AND] CUSTODIAL, AND PEACE
OFFICER SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT FUND.
SECTION 16. Sections 815.317(a), (a-1), and (b), Government
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The retirement system shall deposit in the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund state contributions and other appropriations made
by the legislature to the fund and proceeds from investment of the
fund.
(a-1) The comptroller shall deposit fees collected under
Section 133.102(e)(7), Local Government Code, to the credit of the
law enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund.
(b) The retirement system may use money from the fund only
to pay supplemental retirement and death benefits to law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [and] custodial, or peace officers
as provided by this subtitle and to pay for the administration of
the fund.
SECTION 17. Section 815.402(h), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(h) In addition to the contribution under Subsection
(a)(1), each department or agency of the state that employs a law
enforcement, juvenile justice, [or] custodial, or peace officer
shall deduct an additional 0.5 percent contribution from that
member's compensation, to be deposited in the law enforcement,
[and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund,
provided that, if the state contribution to the law enforcement,
[and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund is
computed using a percentage less than 0.5 percent, the member's
contribution is computed using a percentage equal to the percentage
used to compute the state contribution.
SECTION 18. Section 815.403(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) During each fiscal year, the state shall contribute to
the retirement system:
(1) an amount equal to 7.4 percent of the total
compensation of all members of the retirement system for that year;
(2) money to pay lump-sum death benefits for retirees
under Section 814.501;
(3) an amount for the law enforcement, [and]
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund equal to
2.13 percent of the aggregate state compensation of all law
enforcement, juvenile justice, custodial, and peace [law
enforcement] officers for that year;
(4) money necessary for the administration of the law
enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund; and
(5) money for service credit not previously
established, as provided by Section 813.202(c) or 813.302(d).
SECTION 19. Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 815.505. CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT,
JUVENILE JUSTICE, [AND] CUSTODIAL, AND PEACE OFFICERS. (a) Not
later than the 12th day of the month following the month in which a
person begins or ceases employment as a law enforcement, juvenile
justice, [officer or] custodial, or peace officer, the Public
Safety Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the
Parks and Wildlife Commission, the office of the attorney general,
the [office of inspector general at the] Texas Juvenile Justice
Department [Youth Commission], the Board of Pardons and Paroles, or
the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, and any other state employer,
as applicable, shall certify to the retirement system, in the
manner prescribed by the system, the name of the employee and such
other information as the system determines is necessary for the
crediting of service and financing of benefits under this subtitle.
(b) Not later than the 12th day of the month following the
month in which a person begins or ceases employment as a peace
officer, an employer required to provide information about a person
identified as being employed in a position as a peace officer under
Section 825.515 shall certify to the retirement system, in the
manner prescribed by the system, the name of the employee and such
other information as the system determines is necessary for the
crediting of service and financing of benefits under this subtitle.
SECTION 20. Section 822.002, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 822.002. EXCEPTIONS TO MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT. An
employee of the public school system is not permitted to be a member
of the retirement system if the employee:
(1) is eligible and elects to participate in the
optional retirement program under Chapter 830;
(2) is eligible and elects to participate in the law
enforcement, custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement
fund under Section 803.2015;
(3) is required to participate in the law enforcement,
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund as a
member of the employee class under Section 812.003(b-1);
(4) [(2)] is solely employed by a public institution
of higher education that as a condition of employment requires the
employee to be enrolled as a student in the institution; or
(5) [(3)] has retired under the retirement system and
has not been reinstated to membership pursuant to Section 824.005
or 824.307.
SECTION 21. Section 840.301(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The board of trustees may, under the standard of care
provided by Section 840.303, invest and reinvest the retirement
system's assets and may commingle assets of the trust fund with the
assets of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, including its
trust fund and the law enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace
officer supplemental retirement fund, for investment purposes, as
long as proportionate ownership records are maintained and
credited.
SECTION 22. Section 133.102(e), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(e) The comptroller shall allocate the court costs received
under this section to the following accounts and funds so that each
receives to the extent practicable, utilizing historical data as
applicable, the same amount of money the account or fund would have
received if the court costs for the accounts and funds had been
collected and reported separately, except that the account or fund
may not receive less than the following percentages:
(1) abused children's counseling
0.0088 percent;
(2) crime stoppers assistance
0.2581 percent;
(3) breath alcohol testing
0.5507 percent;
(4) Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management
Institute
2.1683 percent;
(5) law enforcement officers standards and education
5.0034 percent;
(6) comprehensive rehabilitation
9.8218 percent;
(7) law enforcement, [and] custodial, and peace
officer supplemental retirement fund
11.1426 percent;
(8) criminal justice planning
12.5537 percent;
(9) an account in the state treasury to be used only
for the establishment and operation of the Center for the Study and
Prevention of Juvenile Crime and Delinquency at Prairie View A&M
University
1.2090 percent;
(10) compensation to victims of crime fund
37.6338 percent;
(11) emergency radio infrastructure account
5.5904 percent;
(12) judicial and court personnel training fund
4.8362 percent;
(13) an account in the state treasury to be used for
the establishment and operation of the Correctional Management
Institute of Texas and Criminal Justice Center Account
1.2090 percent; and
(14) fair defense account
8.0143 percent.
SECTION 23. (a) Not later than December 31, 2015, a person
who is a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and is
identified under Section 825.515, Government Code, as being
employed as a peace officer shall decide whether to:
(1) remain a member in the Teacher Retirement System
of Texas; or
(2) become a member of the employee class as a peace
officer participating in the Employees Retirement System law
enforcement, custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement
fund effective January 1, 2016.
(b) Not later than December 31, 2015, a person who is a
member of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, holds a
position as a law enforcement, juvenile justice, custodial, or
peace officer, and was not eligible before the effective date of
this Act to participate in the law enforcement and custodial
officer supplemental retirement fund shall decide whether to:
(1) remain a member of the Employees Retirement System
of Texas without participating in the law enforcement, custodial,
and peace officer supplemental retirement fund; or
(2) begin participation in the Employees Retirement
System law enforcement, custodial, and peace officer supplemental
retirement fund effective January 1, 2016.
(c) The retirement benefits of a person who opts to begin
participation in the Employees Retirement System law enforcement,
custodial, and peace officer supplemental retirement fund under
Subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be divided as if the
benefits were based on service credit earned in two separate
retirement systems as follows:
(1) service credit earned before September 1, 2016;
and
(2) service credit earned on or after September 1,
2016.
(d) A person who earns service credit described by
Subsections (c)(1) and (2) of this section is eligible to have that
credit treated as combined service credit under Chapter 803,
Government Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 24. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.