BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         S.B. 904
                                                    By: Henderson
                                      Intergovernmental Relations
                                                           4-6-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

The Village Fire Department and the Village Police Department in
Houston are established organizations which provide fire, police,
and emergency medical services to an estimated 20,000 people.  The
departments are operated through separate boards of police and fire
commissioners from each city.  The organizations are composed of 80
government employees who participate in a privately invested
pension fund that does not competitively compare to the funding
level that the Texas Municipal Retirement System can provide.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 904 authorizes certain fire and police
departments to participate in the Texas Municipal Retirement
System.

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 852.005, Government Code, by adding
Subsection (c) to provide that a fire or police department has the
standing of a municipality if the department was created and is
operating under an interlocal cooperation agreement between two or
more municipalities located in a county with a population of at
least two million, is supervised by an administrative agency
appointed by the contracting municipalities, and provides common
fire protection or law enforcement services to the contracting
municipalities.  Authorizes the governing board of the supervising
administrative agency, by order, to take an action for a department
described by this subsection that is required or authorized by this
subtitle to be made by municipal ordinance.

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.