BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 1793
By: Johnson
May 4, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Currently, the state of Texas allows out-of-state teachers the
option of buying time in the Teacher Retirement System (TRS). 
After they have worked 10 years in Texas, out-of-state teachers can
buy up to 10 years of out-of-state teaching time.  Vocational
teachers who obtained work experience in Texas and have taught in
Texas are not allowed to buy time into TRS for their work
experience.

PURPOSE

To allow vocational teachers the option of buying time in TRS for
their vocational work experience.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly
grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency, or institution.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1:  Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 823, Government Code by
adding Section 823.404, subsections (a) - (h), as follows:
     (a) permits establishing membership service credit for
vocational work experience.  
     (b) must have work experience other than that which is
required by the State Board of Education for certification.  
     (c) requires members who are eligible to be employed by a
public school, have a degree from a higher education institution
with academic credit for at least 14 semester hours of vocational
education courses, and have at least five years of service credit
in the retirement system for actual service in public schools.  
     (d) must deposit 12 percent of the member's annual rate of
compensation during the  beginning year of employment as a
vocational teacher for each year of vocational work experience
claimed.  
     (e) in addition to (d), a member must pay 8 percent of the
required contribution compounded annually from the date of first
eligibility to the date of deposit.  
     (f) a member may not establish more than two years of service
credit.  
     (g) after deposits, the retirement system shall grant the
member one year of service credit for each year of vocational
experience approved.  Service credit for vocational work experience
may not be used in computing a member's annual average
compensation.  
     (h) service credit may not be used in determining eligibility
for coverage in an insurance program provided by the state.

SECTION 2:  Makes conforming change

SECTION 3:  Makes conforming change

SECTION 4:  Emergency clause



Committee on Pensions & Investments


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

HB 1793 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
April 10, 1995.

The following persons testified for the bill:
     Doyle Chandler representing himself
     Bobby Ray Hensley, II representing himself.

Mike Lehr representing the Retired Teachers Assoc. testified
against the bill.
Randy Mercer representing the Teacher Retirement System testified
neutrally on the bill.

The bill was left pending.

The bill was again considered by the committee in a public hearing
on May 3, 1995.

The bill was reported favorably without amendment with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of
5 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv & 4 absent.