By Junell                                             H.B. No. 1283
       74R3908 CAS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to membership in the employee class of the Employees
    1-3  Retirement System of Texas and to establishment of membership
    1-4  service not previously established.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 812.003(d), Government Code, is amended
    1-7  to read as follows:
    1-8        (d)  Membership in the employee class begins on the first
    1-9  anniversary of the day a person first began employment <is
   1-10  employed> or first took <holds> office.  In the case of a person
   1-11  who previously was employed or held office, membership begins on
   1-12  the day the member resumes employment or office.
   1-13        SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 813, Government Code, is
   1-14  amended by adding Section 813.203 to read as follows:
   1-15        Sec. 813.203.  ESTABLISHING MEMBERSHIP SERVICE IN THE
   1-16  EMPLOYEE CLASS FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT OR OFFICE.  (a)
   1-17  Beginning on the fourth anniversary of the date a member of the
   1-18  employee class began employment or took office, the member may
   1-19  establish service credit in the retirement system for membership
   1-20  service for the first year the employee was employed or held
   1-21  office.
   1-22        (b)  The member may establish credit under this section by
   1-23  deposit with the retirement system of a lump-sum contribution
   1-24  computed as provided by Section 813.505 or through payroll
    2-1  deductions as provided by Section 813.105, plus all membership fees
    2-2  due, except that:
    2-3              (1)  a member is not required to pay interest on the
    2-4  amount due if the member deposits the lump-sum contribution or
    2-5  begins the payroll deductions earlier than the fifth anniversary of
    2-6  the date the member began employment or took office; and
    2-7              (2)  the payroll deductions, which shall be in equal
    2-8  amounts, may be made over a period of two years or less as
    2-9  determined by the member.
   2-10        (c)  If the member does not deposit the lump-sum contribution
   2-11  or begin the payroll deductions by the date specified by Subsection
   2-12  (b)(1), the member shall pay interest on the amount due at the rate
   2-13  prescribed by and computed in the manner prescribed by Section
   2-14  813.202(c).
   2-15        (d)  The state shall contribute for service established under
   2-16  this section an amount computed as prescribed by Section
   2-17  813.202(e).
   2-18        SECTION 3.  (a)  Section 812.003(d), Government Code, as
   2-19  amended by this Act, applies to membership in the employee class of
   2-20  the Employees Retirement System of Texas for an employee who begins
   2-21  employment or takes office on or after September 1, 1995.
   2-22        (b)  The membership of an employee who begins employment or
   2-23  takes office before September 1, 1995, is governed by Section
   2-24  812.003(d), Government Code, as that section existed before
   2-25  amendment by this Act, and that section is continued in effect for
   2-26  that purpose.
   2-27        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-1  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-3  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-4  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    3-5  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-6  passage, and it is so enacted.