H.B. No. 3731
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the administration of retirement systems for paid,
  partly paid, or volunteer firefighters.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13, Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement
  Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 13.  (a)  A member of a retirement system who meets an
  applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement
  benefits but does not meet the applicable age requirement for
  service retirement benefits may terminate employment with or
  otherwise discontinue service for the fire department and remain
  eligible to receive service retirement benefits from the retirement
  system on attaining the applicable age, as long as the member does
  not withdraw contributions in the retirement system.
         (b)  [On termination of employment or other discontinuance
  of service of a person described by Subsection (a) of this section,
  the board of trustees of the retirement system of which the person
  is a member shall issue to the member a certificate of service,
  stating the completion of the service requirement and certifying
  that the member is entitled to applicable service retirement
  benefits on attaining the applicable age, whether or not the member
  performs service after the date of the issuance of the certificate.  
  The certificate also shall state that the entitlement is
  conditioned on the member's leaving contributions in the retirement
  system.
         [(c)]  A member who terminates employment or otherwise
  discontinues service after meeting an applicable length-of-service
  requirement for service retirement may not be required to pay to the
  retirement system contributions that become due after the date of
  termination or discontinuance.
         SECTION 2.  Section 19(b), Texas Local Fire Fighters
  Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  During each period that begins on December 1 of one year
  and ends on January 31 of the following year, the participating
  members of a fire fighters' retirement system in a municipality or
  other political subdivision subject to this section shall elect by
  secret ballot and certify to the governing body of the municipality
  or other political subdivision a member to the board of trustees to
  serve a term of three years.  To be elected a member of a board of
  trustees under this subsection, a person must be a participating 
  member of the retirement system and receive a majority of the votes
  cast in the election, and at least 50 percent of all participating
  members of the retirement system must vote in the election.
         SECTION 3.  Section 21A(h), Texas Local Fire Fighters
  Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as
  added by Chapter 327, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2001, is redesignated as Subsection (h-1) to read as
  follows:
         (h-1) [(h)]  The fire fighters' pension commissioner shall
  prepare and maintain a written plan that describes how a person who
  does not speak English or who has a physical, mental, or
  developmental disability can be provided reasonable access to the
  programs administered by the commissioner.
         SECTION 4.  Section 29(b), Texas Local Fire Fighters
  Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A municipality or other political subdivision that has
  employees who are participating members of a retirement system
  shall make contributions to the system each payroll period. Except
  as provided by Subsection (d) of this section, contributions
  required under this subsection are computed on the total
  compensation paid to the employees who are participating members of
  the system. A municipality or other political subdivision is
  required to make contributions under this subsection at the same
  rate paid by employees or 12 [nine] percent, whichever is the
  smaller rate. The governing body of a municipality or other
  political subdivision by ordinance may adopt a rate of employer
  contributions that is greater than the rate required by this
  subsection.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3731 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3731 on May 25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 138, Nays 0,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3731 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays
  1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor