HBA-SEB, RAR H.B. 188 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 188 By: Longoria Pensions and Investments 3/29/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, county court-at-law judges in a few of the larger counties in Texas (Bexar, Harris, Dallas, and Travis) are eligible to retire and receive a service annuity after eight years of service, while a member of either the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or Plan Two (plans) becomes eligible to retire after ten years of service if the member is at least 65 years old. The plans allow membership by judges, justices, and commissioners of the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, courts of appeals, district courts, and commissions to one of those courts. H.B. 188 provides that a member participating in one of the plans is eligible to retire after eight years of service if the member is at least 65 years of age, after 18 years of service, or when the sum of the member's age and service credit equals at least 75 years. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 834.101, Government Code, as follows: Sec. 834.101. ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT ANNUITY. Redefines the eligibility criteria for retirement from the Judicial Retirement System of Texas under Plan One and for the receipt of a base service retirement annuity. Provides that a member is eligible if eight, rather than 10, years of service are credited and the member is at least 65 years old. Deletes the requirement that such a member hold a current judicial office. Deletes the provision that provides eligibility to a member at least 65 years old with at least 12 years of credited service regardless of holding a current judicial office. Provides that a member is eligible if 18, rather than 20, years of service are credited or the sum of the member's age and service credit equals or exceeds the number 75. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 839.101, Government Code, to make conforming changes with respect to the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.