SRC-DPW S.B. 838 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 838
76R8267 GCH-FBy: Wentworth
State Affairs
3/15/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, some Texas judges may reach the required years of service to
retire a few months into a calender year following the expiration of a
current term in office.  To qualify for retirement, judges occasionally run
for additional terms and, if reelected, judges only serve until the annuity
is assured and then resign.  This bill would allow a judge to purchase
credit in the judge's judicial retirement system for the remaining months
of a calendar year during which the judge served only part of the year. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 838 sets forth criteria for establishing service credit
in the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial
Retirement System of Texas Plan Two. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 833B, Government Code, by adding Section 833.106,
as follows: 

Sec. 833.106. CREDIT FOR YEAR IN WHICH ELIGIBLE FOR OFFICE. Authorizes a
contributing member to establish service credit in the Judicial Retirement
System of  Texas Plan One or, as to periods before September 1, 1985, the
Judicial Retirement System of Texas for any calendar year during which the
member held an office included in the membership of the system.  Authorizes
a member to establish credit by depositing with the system a monthly
contribution at a rate of six percent of the member's current monthly
compensation, plus interest computed on the basis of the state fiscal year
at an annual rate of 10 percent from the date of first eligibility to the
date of deposit, if the member does not establish credit before the first
year of eligibility. 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 838B, Government Code, by adding Section 838.106,
as follows: 

Sec. 838.106. CREDIT FOR YEAR IN WHICH ELIGIBLE FOR OFFICE.  Authorizes a
contributing member to establish service credit in the Judicial Retirement
System of Texas Plan Two for any calendar year during which the member held
an office included in the membership of the system.  Authorizes a member to
establish credit by depositing with the system a monthly contribution at a
rate of six percent of the member's current monthly compensation, plus
interest computed on the basis of the state fiscal year at an annual rate
of 10 percent from the date of first eligibility to the date of deposit, if
the member does not establish credit before the first year of eligibility. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999.