| |
| |
|
|
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Established in 1947 and safeguarded under Section |
|
|
67, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, the Employees Retirement |
|
|
System of Texas (ERS) provides retirement benefits for state |
|
|
employees, elected state officials, and members of the judiciary |
|
|
and administers service to approximately 500,000 public employees |
|
|
and retirees from about 134 state agencies, 103 higher education |
|
|
institutions, and 121 counties; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 1999, the 76th Texas Legislature provided for a |
|
|
supplemental retirement annuity for retired state employees in the |
|
|
form of a 13th check, and the next year ERS announced that it would |
|
|
issue this lump sum check to state employees who were retired on or |
|
|
before August 31, 2000; despite this assurance, retirees are still |
|
|
waiting to receive the promised benefit; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Current law permits the ERS board of trustees to |
|
|
adopt benefit enhancements if budget projections indicate that the |
|
|
ERS fund can pay all retirement benefits due current beneficiaries |
|
|
in less than 31 years; data suggests that the system's amortization |
|
|
period will remain under 31 years if ERS funding proposed by the |
|
|
General Appropriations Act, House Bill 1, 80th Texas Legislature, |
|
|
Regular Session, 2007, is maintained; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The hardworking employees of the State of Texas |
|
|
greatly contribute to the state and deserve proper compensation for |
|
|
their dedication and service to the citizens of Texas; it is |
|
|
imperative, therefore, that the legislature show its support for |
|
|
the supplemental annuity by firmly endorsing the issuing of a 13th |
|
|
check to retirees no later than September 2007; now, therefore, be |
|
|
it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
|
hereby express its commitment to the state's retired public |
|
|
employees and support for the Employees Retirement System of Texas |
|
|
board of trustees exercising its statutory authority to provide |
|
|
eligible system beneficiaries with a supplemental annuity in the |
|
|
form of a 13th check. |