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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration of retirement systems for paid, |
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partly paid, or volunteer fire fighters. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13, Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement |
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Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to |
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read as follows. |
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Sec. 13. (a) A member of a retirement system who meets an |
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applicable length-of-service requirement for service retirement |
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benefits but does not meet the applicable age requirement for |
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service retirement benefits may terminate employment with or |
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otherwise discontinue service for the fire department and remain |
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eligible to receive service retirement benefits from the retirement |
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system on attaining the applicable age, as long as the member does |
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not withdraw contributions in the retirement system. |
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(b) On termination of employment or other discontinuance of
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service of a person described by Subsection (a) of this section, the
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board of trustees of the retirement system of which the person is a
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member shall issue to the member a certificate of service, stating
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the completion of the service requirement and certifying that the
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member is entitled to applicable service retirement benefits on
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attaining the applicable age, whether or not the member performs
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service after the date of the issuance of the certificate. The
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certificate also shall state that the entitlement is conditioned on
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the member's leaving contributions in the retirement system.
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(c) A member who terminates employment or otherwise |
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discontinues service after meeting an applicable length-of-service |
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requirement for service retirement may not be required to pay to the |
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retirement system contributions that become due after the date of |
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termination or discontinuance. |
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SECTION 2. Section 19 (b), Texas Local Fire Fighters |
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Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) During each period that begins on December 1 of one year |
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and ends on January 31 of the following year, the participating |
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members of a fire fighters' retirement system in a municipality or |
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other political subdivision subject to this section shall elect by |
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secret ballot and certify to the governing body of the municipality |
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or other political subdivision a member to the board of trustees to |
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serve a term of three years. To be elected a member of a board of |
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trustees under this subsection, a person must be a participating |
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member of the retirement system and receive a majority of the votes |
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cast in the election, and at least 50 percent of all participating |
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members of the retirement system must vote in the election. |
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SECTION 3. Section 21A, Texas Local Fire Fighters |
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Retirement Act (Article 6243e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as |
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enacted by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 327, §2, is amended to read as |
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follows. |
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(h-1) The fire fighters' pension commissioner shall prepare |
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and maintain a written plan that describes how a person who does not |
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speak English or who has a physical, mental, or developmental |
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disability can be provided reasonable access to the programs |
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administered by the commissioner. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |