By:  King, Pena, Capelo, Swinford                               H.J.R. No. 54 

Substitute the following for H.J.R. No. 54:                                   

By:  Grusendorf                                             C.S.H.J.R. No. 54 



A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment providing that benefits in 
certain public retirement systems may not be reduced or impaired.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
	SECTION 1.  Section 67, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is 
amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
	(h)  This subsection applies only to a public retirement 
system that is not a statewide system and that provides service and 
disability retirement benefits and death benefits to public 
officers and employees and to a statewide public retirement system 
that provides service and disability retirement benefits and death 
benefits to volunteer emergency services personnel.  Benefits under 
a retirement system to which this subsection applies may not be 
reduced or impaired for service performed before the effective date 
of any change in the benefit structure, and benefits granted to any 
retiree or other annuitant before the effective date of this 
subsection and in effect on that effective date, may not be reduced 
or impaired.  This obligation is the responsibility of the 
political subdivision or subdivisions that finance the particular 
retirement system.
	SECTION 2.  This constitutional amendment shall be submitted 
to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2003.  The ballot 
shall be printed to allow for voting for or against the proposition:  
"The constitutional amendment to guarantee benefits earned in local 
public retirement systems and certain statewide public retirement 
systems."