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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Employers include health and retirement benefits in |
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their compensation packages as a competitive business practice; and |
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas is required by law to provide |
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health and retirement benefits through the Employees Retirement |
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System of Texas, and these benefits serve to attract and retain |
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employees; and |
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WHEREAS, Recent state and national events have illustrated |
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the economic and political challenges in providing benefit |
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programs, but the fact remains that benefits play an important role |
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in fostering, promoting, and encouraging state service; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house |
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of representatives to create a joint interim committee to conduct a |
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comprehensive, data-driven study of the benefits, including health |
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insurance, retirement programs, and other benefits, of active and |
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retired employees of the State of Texas; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the study's purview cover the programs |
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administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That the study specifically consider: (1) the |
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impact on the state of offering retirement and health benefits; (2) |
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the impact on employees of being offered retirement and health |
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benefits; (3) the impact of retiree health benefits in calculating |
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Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liabilities; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the study specifically address the |
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feasibility of the current defined benefit plan, as well as the |
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feasibility of creating a defined contribution or hybrid plan, |
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placing each option within the context of (1) providing a proper |
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system for managing risk; (2) encouraging employee behavior that |
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best meets the workforce needs of the State of Texas; (3) funding |
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benefits in a sound manner; and (4) providing adequate retirement |
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income at a reasonable retirement age after a reasonable period of |
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employment; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee submit not later than March 1, |
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2012, a full report, including findings and recommendations, to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the governor. |