82R10046 CBE-D
 
  By: Truitt H.C.R. No. 82
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, Employers include health and retirement benefits in
  their compensation packages as a competitive business practice; and
         WHEREAS, The State of Texas is required by law to provide
  health and retirement benefits through the Employees Retirement
  System of Texas, and these benefits serve to attract and retain
  employees; and
         WHEREAS, Recent state and national events have illustrated
  the economic and political challenges in providing benefit
  programs, but the fact remains that benefits play an important role
  in fostering, promoting, and encouraging state service; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
  of representatives to create a joint interim committee to conduct a
  comprehensive, data-driven study of the benefits, including health
  insurance, retirement programs, and other benefits, of active and
  retired employees of the State of Texas; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the study's purview cover the programs
  administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas; and, be
  it further
         RESOLVED, That the study specifically consider: (1) the
  impact on the state of offering retirement and health benefits; (2)
  the impact on employees of being offered retirement and health
  benefits; (3) the impact of retiree health benefits in calculating
  Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liabilities; and, be it
  further
         RESOLVED, That the study specifically address the
  feasibility of the current defined benefit plan, as well as the
  feasibility of creating a defined contribution or hybrid plan,
  placing each option within the context of (1) providing a proper
  system for managing risk; (2) encouraging employee behavior that
  best meets the workforce needs of the State of Texas; (3) funding
  benefits in a sound manner; and (4) providing adequate retirement
  income at a reasonable retirement age after a reasonable period of
  employment; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the committee submit not later than March 1,
  2012, a full report, including findings and recommendations, to the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and the governor.