By Longoria                                            H.B. No. 464
         77R955 SMJ-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to eligibility for service retirement from the Judicial
 1-3     Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial Retirement
 1-4     System of Texas Plan Two.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Section 834.101, Government Code, is amended to
 1-7     read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 834.101.  ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT ANNUITY.
 1-9     (a)  A member is eligible to retire and receive a base service
1-10     retirement annuity if:
1-11                 (1)  the member:
1-12                       (A) [(1)]  is at least 65 years old[, currently
1-13     holds a judicial office,] and has at least eight [10] years of
1-14     service credited in the retirement system;
1-15                 [(2)  is at least 65 years old and has at least 12
1-16     years of service credited in the retirement system, regardless of
1-17     whether the member currently holds a judicial office;] or
1-18                       (B) [(3)]  has at least 18 [20] years of service
1-19     credited in the retirement system; or
1-20                 (2)  the sum of the member's age and service credit
1-21     equals or exceeds the number 75 [, regardless of whether the member
1-22     currently  holds a judicial office].
1-23           (b)  A member who meets service requirements provided by
1-24     Subsection (a)(1)(A) [or (a)(2)] is eligible to retire and receive
 2-1     a service retirement annuity actuarially reduced as provided by
 2-2     Section 834.102(d) from the standard service retirement annuity, if
 2-3     the member is at least 60 years old.
 2-4           (c)  A member's resignation from a judicial office before
 2-5     applying for an annuity does not make the member ineligible for the
 2-6     annuity [unless the member applies for an annuity under Subsection
 2-7     (a)(1)].
 2-8           SECTION 2. Section 834.301(a), Government Code, is amended to
 2-9     read as follows:
2-10           (a)  A member who has at least eight [10] years of service
2-11     credit in the retirement system may select a death benefit plan for
2-12     the payment, if the member dies before retirement, of a death
2-13     benefit annuity to one or more persons designated by the member.
2-14     Death benefit annuities available for selection by a member
2-15     described in this subsection are the optional annuities provided by
2-16     Sections 814.108(c)(1) and (c)(4).
2-17           SECTION 3. Section 839.101, Government Code, is amended to
2-18     read as follows:
2-19           Sec. 839.101.  ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICE RETIREMENT ANNUITY.
2-20     (a)  A member is eligible to retire and receive a service
2-21     retirement annuity if:
2-22                 (1)  the member:
2-23                       (A) [(1)]  is at least 65 years old[, currently
2-24     holds a judicial office,] and has at least eight [10] years of
2-25     service credited  in the retirement system;
2-26                 [(2)  is at least 65 years old and has at least 12
2-27     years of service credited in the retirement system, regardless of
 3-1     whether the member currently holds a judicial office;] or
 3-2                       (B) [(3)]  has at least 18 [20] years of service
 3-3     credited in the retirement system; or
 3-4                 (2)  the sum of the member's age and service credit
 3-5     equals or exceeds the number 75 [, regardless of whether the member
 3-6     currently holds a judicial office].
 3-7           (b)  A member who meets service requirements provided by
 3-8     Subsection (a)(1)(A) [or (a)(2)] is eligible to retire and receive
 3-9     a service retirement annuity actuarially reduced as provided by
3-10     Section 839.102(c) from the standard service retirement annuity, if
3-11     the member is at least 60 years old.
3-12           (c)  A member's resignation from a judicial office before
3-13     applying for an annuity does not make the member ineligible for the
3-14     annuity [unless the member applies for an annuity under Subsection
3-15     (a)(1)].
3-16           SECTION 4. Section 839.301(b), Government Code, is amended to
3-17     read as follows:
3-18           (b)  A member eligible to select a death benefit plan is one
3-19     who is a member and has at least eight [10] years of service credit
3-20     in the retirement system.
3-21           SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.