BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2522 By: Stiles (Sponsor) Finance 05-23-95 Senate Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The 66th Legislature created the Law Enforcement and Custodial Officers Supplemental Retirement Fund (LECOSRF) to work in conjunction with the Employees Retirement System of Texas to provide certain employees in law enforcement with enhanced retirement benefits. LECOSRF allows employees in hazardous occupations to retire earlier and to receive a higher annuity than other state employees. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy was authorized to commission peace officers in 1981 pursuant to Article 4542a-1, V.T.C.S., but the board's peace officers are not included as law enforcement officers or custodial officers entitled to the enhanced retirement benefits of LECOSRF. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2522 provides that law enforcement officers and commissioned peace officers of the State Board of Pharmacy are eligible to participate in benefits in the Employees Retirement System of Texas. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 811.001(9), Government Code, to redefine "law enforcement officer." SECTION 2. Amends Section 814.104(b), Government Code, to provide that a member of the Employees Retirement System of Texas who is at least 55 years old and who has at least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of certain departments and commissions, including the State Board of Pharmacy, is eligible to retire and receive a service retirement annuity. SECTION 3. Amends Section 815.505, Government Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 4. Amends Section 27, Chapter 791, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, 1993, to make a conforming change. SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 6. Emergency clause.