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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the certification of benefits coordinators at state |
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agencies by the Employees Retirement System of Texas and related |
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reports. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 815, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM AND REPORTING |
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Sec. 815.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Benefits coordinator" means an employee of a |
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state agency who has been designated by the agency as the person to: |
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(A) provide advice to employees of the agency on |
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benefits programs administered by the retirement system; and |
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(B) act as an agency liaison to the retirement |
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system. |
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(2) "Exception" means a request for assistance |
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processed by the retirement system that a benefits coordinator was |
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unable to handle in a timely manner. |
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Sec. 815.552. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR AGENCY BENEFITS |
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COORDINATORS. (a) The retirement system shall develop a |
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certification program that provides training for benefits |
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coordinators. |
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(b) The retirement system shall require a person who is a |
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benefits coordinator to be certified under the certification |
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program not later than the first anniversary of the date the person |
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was designated as the benefits coordinator. |
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(c) The retirement system shall develop a refresher course |
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to update the training of a certified benefits coordinator and |
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offer the course at appropriate intervals as determined by the |
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retirement system. |
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(d) The retirement system may charge a state agency for |
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training the agency's benefits coordinator in an amount not to |
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exceed the actual cost of providing the training. |
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Sec. 815.553. REPORT. Not later than June 1 of each year, |
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the retirement system shall provide to the board of trustees, the |
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governor, and the Legislative Budget Board a report covering the |
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preceding state fiscal year that includes: |
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(1) a list of state agencies that do not have a |
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benefits coordinator certified by the retirement system under the |
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program developed under Section 815.552; |
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(2) a list of state agencies that do not have dedicated |
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benefits staff; |
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(3) information related to providing support to the |
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agencies that do not have a certified benefits coordinator, |
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including: |
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(A) the costs incurred by the retirement system |
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associated with handling calls from those agencies; |
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(B) the number of exceptions the retirement |
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system processed for those agencies; and |
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(C) information about complaints received by the |
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retirement system from employees of those agencies; and |
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(4) suggested options for serving employees at small |
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agencies or agencies without dedicated benefits staff. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Employees Retirement System of Texas |
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shall begin offering its certification program under Section |
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815.552, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than June |
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1, 2010. |
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(b) The Employees Retirement System of Texas shall submit |
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the first report required by Section 815.553, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, not later than June 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2009. |