LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 31, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Barry Telford, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 862
          Committee on Pensions and Investments                              By: Chisum
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB862 ( Relating 
to credit in the Employees Retirement System of Texas for service 
as a peace officer.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB862-As Introduced
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
negative impact of $(966,240) to General Revenue Related Funds 
through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
         
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal 
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions 
of the bill.
         
 
Fiscal Analysis
 
HB 862 would allow law enforcement and custodial officer members 
of the Employees Retirement System (ERS) to purchase service 
credit for previous service as a commissioned peace officer 
that is not credited to another system.  The member may purchase 
up to 60 months of previous peace officer service and can purchase 
the service over a five year period.   The member must contribute 
an amount based on the member contribution rate and the salary 
paid to the member for the service to be established, accumulated 
at 5% interest.  The state must also make a contribution, at 
6.0% of salary, at the time the service is purchased.
 
Methodolgy
 
The cost to the state for the state's contribution for the service 
purchases is estimated to be $483,120 per year.  There are an 
estimated 1,000 members with an average of 2.64 years of previous 
service who would be eligible.  The actuary for the ERS assumes 
that the average salary per member is $15,250, and that all 
eligible members purchase credit for the previous service over 
a five year period.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions 
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage 
is estimated as follows:
 
Five Year Impact:
 
Fiscal Year Probable           
            Savings/(Cost)                                                                                
            from General                                                                                  
            Revenue Fund                                                                                  
            0001                                                                                           
       1998        ($483,120)                                                                        
       1998         (483,120)                                                                        
       2000         (483,120)                                                                        
       2001         (483,120)                                                                        
       2002         (483,120)                                                                        
 
 
         Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
 
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds 
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
 
              Fiscal Year      Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
                               General Revenue Related Funds
                                             Funds
               1998           ($483,120)
               1999            (483,120)
               2000            (483,120)
               2001            (483,120)
               2002            (483,120)
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect, although at a decreased 
cost because only newly hired employees would be making the 
service purchases.
          
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   327   Employees Retirement System
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,PE ,SC