78R4634 SMJ-F

By:  Brimer                                                     S.J.R. No. 38 



A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment providing that payment of 
retirement and related benefits to certain public employees is a 
contractual obligation that cannot 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 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.  
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.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2003.  
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the 
proposition:  "The constitutional amendment providing that payment 
of retirement and related benefits to certain public employees is a 
contractual obligation that cannot be reduced or impaired."