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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 821.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivisions (3-a) and (17-a) to read as follows: |
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(3-a) "Alternative investment" means an investment in |
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an asset other than a traditional asset. The term includes an |
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investment in private equity funds, private real estate |
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transactions, hedge funds, and infrastructure. |
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(17-a) "Traditional asset" includes stocks, bonds, |
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and cash. |
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SECTION 2. Section 825.114, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board of trustees may establish advisory committees |
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as it considers necessary to assist it in performing its duties. |
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Except as provided by Subsection (d), members [Members] of advisory |
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committees established under this section serve at the pleasure of |
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the board. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary except |
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Subsection (d), the board of trustees by rule shall determine the |
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amount and manner of any compensation or expense reimbursement to |
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be paid members of an advisory committee performing service for the |
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retirement system for performing the work of the advisory |
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committee. All compensation and expense reimbursements for an |
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advisory committee established under this section are payable from |
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the expense account or the retired school employees group insurance |
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fund, as applicable. |
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(d) If the board of trustees establishes an advisory |
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committee under this section to provide advice to the board on |
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investments or investment-related issues, the executive director |
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shall serve as an ex officio member of the advisory committee. The |
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executive director shall serve on the advisory committee without |
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additional compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for actual |
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expenses incurred in the performance of the executive director's |
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duties under this subsection. |
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(e) The executive director as an ex officio member of an |
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advisory committee on investments described by Subsection (d) may |
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override any recommendation by the committee to invest retirement |
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system assets in a single alternative investment or in a series of |
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related alternative investments the aggregate of which exceeds $100 |
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million. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 825.206(b) and (f), Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) At least once every four [five] years the actuary, on |
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authorization of the board of trustees, shall: |
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(1) investigate the mortality, service, and |
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compensation experience of the members and beneficiaries of the |
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retirement system; |
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(2) on the basis of the investigation made under |
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Subdivision (1), recommend to the board of trustees tables and |
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rates that are required; and |
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(3) on the basis of tables and rates adopted by the |
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board of trustees under Section 825.105, evaluate the assets and |
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liabilities of the retirement system. |
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(f) An actuarial audit shall be performed in conjunction |
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with an actuarial experience study or at least once every four |
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[five] years. The audit must include: |
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(1) an analysis of the appropriateness of the |
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actuarial assumptions; |
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(2) a review of the assumptions and methodology for |
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compliance with the funding standards; |
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(3) verification of demographic data; and |
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(4) confirmation of the valuation results, including a |
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determination of actuarial accrued liability, normal cost, |
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expected employee contributions, and the effects of any recent |
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legislation. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 825.301(a-2), (a-3), and (b), |
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Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a-2) Except as provided by Section 825.3013, the [The] |
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board of trustees may delegate investment authority and contract |
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with one or more private professional investment managers for |
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investment and management of not more than 30 percent of the total |
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assets held in trust by the retirement system. In a contract made |
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under this subsection, the board of trustees shall specify any |
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applicable policies, requirements, or restrictions, including |
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criteria for determining the quality of investments or the use of |
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standard rating services, that the board of trustees adopts for |
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investments of the system. The board of trustees may not contract |
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under this subsection for investment and management services to be |
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performed on or after September 1, 2019. |
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(a-3) For the purpose of carrying out policy decisions made |
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by the board of trustees and except as provided by Section 825.3013, |
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the board may delegate investment authority with respect to assets |
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held by the retirement system to the executive director or the staff |
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of the retirement system. |
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(b) In addition to the board's authority under Subsection |
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(a-2) and subject to Section 825.3013, the board of trustees may |
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contract with private professional investment managers, advisors, |
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and consultants to assist and advise the board and the staff of the |
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retirement system in investing the assets of the retirement system. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter D, Chapter 825, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 825.3013 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 825.3013. BOARD APPROVAL OF CERTAIN ALTERNATIVE |
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INVESTMENTS. (a) The executive director, retirement system staff, |
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a private professional investment manager, advisor, or consultant, |
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or any other person delegated authority to invest or reinvest |
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retirement system assets under Section 825.301 may not invest |
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retirement system assets in a single alternative investment or in a |
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series of related alternative investments the aggregate of which |
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exceeds $100 million unless the board of trustees votes to approve |
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the investment or series of investments, as applicable. |
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(b) The board of trustees shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 6. (a) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
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shall, in a contract between the retirement system and a private |
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professional investment manager, advisor, consultant, or other |
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person under authority of Section 825.301, Government Code, as |
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amended by this Act, that is entered into or renewed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act, require that the private professional |
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investment manager or other person comply with Section 825.3013, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) The Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall seek to |
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amend a contract entered into with a private professional |
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investment manager, advisor, consultant, or other person under |
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authority of Section 825.301, Government Code, as that section |
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existed before the effective date of this Act, to require that the |
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private professional investment manager or other person comply with |
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Section 825.3013, Government Code, as added by this Act. To the |
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extent of a conflict between the requirement of Section 825.3013, |
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Government Code, and a provision of a contract with a private |
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professional investment manager or other person entered into before |
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the effective date of this Act, the contract provision prevails. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |