SBW H.B. 3134 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


PENSIONS & INVESTMENTS
H.B. 3134
By: Naishtat
3-26-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

The City of Austin recently agreed to temporarily pay a portion of the
contributions otherwise payable to the retirement, disability and death
benefits funded by the individual fire fighters. Article 6243e.1, of
Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes (VTCS)  must be amended in order for this to
occur.  This statute also contains language that is obsolete. 

PURPOSE

HB 3134 deletes several provisions of Article 6234e.1, VTCS that relate to
contributions to the fund required for periods of time prior to October
1,1995.  This legislation also allows the municipality, by agreement, to
pay a portion of the contributions otherwise payable to the fund by
individual fire fighters. 

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 Section 10.01, Chapter 183, Acts of the 64th
Legislature, Regular Session, 1975 (Article 6243e.1, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes) by amending (a)-(e). 

Sec. 10.01. MUNICIPAL AND MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS:

(a) is amended by striking the previous (a) and redesignating the previous
(c) as (a).  This section also strikes the time frame. 

(b) is amended by striking the previous (b) and redesignating the previous
(d) as (b). 

(c) is amended by the addition of the language to allow the governing body
to authorize the municipality to contribute a portion of the required
contribution of each firefighter.  The section states that if this occurs
then the municipality will appropriate and contribute monthly to the fund
at the higher percentage of necessary compensation to make the required
contributions as authorized, and the individual account of each
firefighter will be credited monthly as if the entire contribution had
been made by that firefighter as shown under Subsection 10.01(b). 

(d) is amended by redesignating the previous (e) as (d).

SECTION 2.  Effective date is October 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.  Emergency Clause.