BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2629
86R22971 LED-F	By: Flynn; Guillen (Huffman)
	State Affairs
	5/15/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It has been noted that the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) requires its members to adhere to strict timelines when dealing with hearings and appeals related to benefits, but TRS is not held to the same standard. H.B. 2629 seeks to address this issue by ensuring that TRS adheres to the same standards as its members when dealing with hearings and appeals related to benefits.

H.B. 2629 amends current law relating to the deadline to appeal administrative decisions of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas in SECTION 2 (Section 825.521, Government Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter F, Chapter 825, Government Code, by adding Section 825.521, as follows:

Sec. 825.521. DEADLINE TO APPEAL FINAL ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION. Requires the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (board; TRS), in adopting rules governing the appeal of a final administrative decision of TRS, to ensure that rules establishing deadlines for the filing of an appeal afford a member or retiree at least the same amount of time to file an appeal as TRS has to issue TRS's decision.

SECTION 2. Requires the board, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules necessary to implement Section 825.521, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. Authorizes the rules adopted under Section 825.521, Government Code, as added by this Act, to apply only to the appeal of an administrative decision of an employee of TRS that is made on or after January 1, 2020.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.