SRC-JEC S.J.R. 38 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.J.R. 38 78R4634 SMJ-FBy: Brimer State Affairs 4/9/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE As proposed, S.J.R. 38 ensures that public employees other than state employees receive their retirement and related benefits by proposing a constitutional amendment making the benefits a contractual obligation. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 67, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, by adding Subsection (h), to provide that this subsection applies only to a retirement system that is not a statewide system and that provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to public officers and employees and to a statewide retirement system that provides retirement, disability and death benefits to volunteer emergency services personnel. Provides that payment of retirement benefits that a person has accrued in a retirement system, payment of related disability and death benefits, and any increases in those payments that the legislature may authorize are contractual obligations of the retirement system and may not be reduced or impaired. SECTION 2. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters at the November 4, 2003, election. Requires the ballot to be printed in a certain manner.